


A Newfound Home

by honeydew02



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Clementine has long hair, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, High-school au, I love fluff, I'm going to do my best thank you, Mutual Pining, Sophie isn't a bitch, gals having fun, overly fluffy, slowburn?, teens doing things teens wanna do, there's so much fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 68,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23976589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeydew02/pseuds/honeydew02
Summary: At a young age, Clementine lost her sense of home. She soon regained most of it after she was adopted by Lee Everett, a charismatic professor. Despite Clementine's loving father and younger brother, AJ, she still feels like something is missing in her life.-: ✧ :-When the Everett family relocates, Clementine already expects to have a hard time adjusting. That all changes when she meets an outgoing freckled boy, wanting nothing more than to help Clementine.° 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 ₒ 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 °Disclaimer: This story could mention mental illness, trauma, alcohol/drug consumption, abuse, violence, or other troubling topics. If a chapter contains sensitive content I'll leave a warning!.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .Hi! This is my first fanfic... So I'm not sure how long it'll be, but it's gonna take a hot minute! If you decide to read my story, first and foremost: thank you so much! Second: if you notice any errors, please let me know!
Relationships: Brody/Marlon (Walking Dead: Done Running), Clementine/Louis (Walking Dead: Done Running), Minerva/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Mitch/Sophie (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Comments: 37
Kudos: 76





	1. Moving Day

The first day is always the hardest. Moving into uncharted territory, with no friends, and no anchor aside from an unfamiliar new home and your family.

So, yeah it was a bit nerve-wracking, but Clementine knew that moving was a better choice for her family. She couldn't be bitter about leaving when it was making a positive impact on the household. That couldn't stop her from being upset about leaving her friends from Georgia though.

Clementine stared out the window into the black of night, watching as street lights faded in and out of her sight.

"How are you holding up, Sweetpea?" Lee's deep voice brought her back to reality, as she glanced into the backseat at a sleeping AJ. He was taking the move a bit harder than Clem, but she knew he would be okay.

"I'm okay. I'll miss everyone back home, but I'm excited to see what Virginia has in store." Which was the truth. Clementine couldn't guarantee bad things were going to come from the move, maybe she would meet new friends, and Lee could possibly find someone to settle down with. She wanted to look on the bright side of things, she had to, in order to keep herself afloat.

"I knew this move would be hard for you, I'm sorry we had to leave. But my new salary will give us more financial flexibility. I only want what's best for you, and AJ." Lee's eyes flickered to Clementine's for a split second as he provided her with a comforting smile. Which she soon returned with her own, slightly more uncertain smile.

"We're a family dad, AJ and I understand that this is going to be better for us in the long run. I'll make new friends, and so will AJ. The only thing that really matters, in the end, is that we're all together." Lee glanced back over to Clementine, nodding his head in understanding as they passed the, 'Welcome to Virginia' sign.

"I know Sweetpea, you've always been so strong," her father placed a gentle hand on her cheek, admiring the young woman his daughter was growing up to be. "Now, how about you get some shut-eye, we're going to have a long day tomorrow," Lee lightly took his hand off her cheek and focused his eyes back on the road.

Clementine followed Lee's advice and rested her head against the cold window, allowing the quiet music from the radio to lull her into a light sleep.

* * *

Clementine's heavy eyelids slowly opened as the car rolled to a stop, signifying they had finally made it to their final destination. Their new home. Their perfect three-bedroom, two-bath home, complete with two stories, and a small backyard garden. She admired their new house, it was just what their small family needed. It was in a nice part of town, which wasn't exactly difficult considering there weren't many places to live.

Lee had got a job at a university that was about a thirty-minute commute away from their house. He wasn't too keen on living in cities, and smaller towns were safer, as well as easier to raise children in. Clementine and AJ's safety and happiness were the only things Lee needed a guarantee on.

Lee and Clementine sat in silence, staring at the house in anticipation. Until AJ groggily lifted his head forward with a groan.

"Are we there yet?" A question Lee and Clementine heard nearly a hundred times within their day of driving. Lee laughed deeply at the sight of a bed-headed AJ.

"We sure are. Now how about we get the hell out of this car, and sleep in actual beds?" Clementine chuckled as the trio unbuckled, and slowly made their way inside the empty house. Keyword being empty. Meaning they would have to put in just a little extra effort instead of just laying down and dozing off.

Clementine and Lee pulled their mattresses out of their moving truck, AJ insisted on helping. Eventually, all three mattresses were on the bare floors of their individual rooms, snugly wrapped in sheets, as well as some throw blankets left in their car from the long drive.

* * *

The next morning started without a hitch seeing as everyone got to work on unpacking the moving truck almost immediately after they woke up. Boxes with assorted labels and a mess of furniture filled their once empty home, spreading from room to room until there was only one box left.

Lee was helping AJ set up his bed, so Clementine only saw it fit that she collected their final belongings from the truck. Pattering down the steps of their porch, Clementine pulled herself back inside the moving truck for the last time. The box was wedged into the furthest corner of the truck, and it was heavy. After picking it up she made her way back to the exit, beginning to bend over so she could jump out when suddenly, an unfamiliar voice called out to her.

"My lady, allow me!" the boy jogged to the mouth of the moving truck, raising his hand to Clementine's level. His freckled face smeared with a grin, as Clementine nervously glanced at his hand, then back to his face, his eyes glittering in the morning sun "Oh, how rude of me! My name's Louis, and you are?" his smile grew wider as Clementine slowly took his hand, finally stepping down.

"Uh, Clementine." she reluctantly murmured, delicately sliding her hand out of his.

"It's nice to meet you, Um, Clementine! Judging by your moving truck, and the box in your arms, it appears that you-" Louis cut himself off as a mullet headed blonde gripped his shoulder. "Oh, and this is my friend Marlon, it appears you're his neigh-"

"Louis you're going to scare her half to death. Sorry about my friend he's a bit eccentric." Marlon said as he extended his hand to Clementine for a handshake. She wasn't as hesitant to shake the boy's hand but still remained in an uncomfortable state.

"No harm done!" Smiling kindly at the pair before continuing, "I should actually get back inside, we have a lot to do. But it was nice to meet you both." She waved a light goodbye before hoisting the box tighter onto her hip and walking up the steps. Sparing a final glance at her neighbor's dread-head of a friend, who was still watching her walk inside. He waved at her when their eyes met before she disappeared inside her house.

* * *

Louis' POV

Louis watched as the girl he now knew as Clementine lightly shut her door. Leaving himself standing outside her moving truck envisioning her polite smiles, and honey eyes. When he finally snapped out of his daze, he glanced over at Marlon who was waiting for him on the steps outside his house, petting Rosie. Louis sauntered over and took a seat next to his best friend.

"My lady? Really?" The blonde couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Shut up Marlon."

* * *

Clementine's POV

"I see you're already making new friends," Lee smirked after his remark, too preoccupied with unpacking to actually look at his adopted daughter.

"I don't know if I'd call them friends yet." giggling lightly as she spoke, "One of them had a mullet, and the other introduced himself in an English accent."

Smiling to himself, Lee continued to unpack, "Well, friends can come in the most unlikely packages, keep that in mind." he said, finally turning to Clementine, "How about you go on upstairs, and start getting to work on your room. Give me a holler if you need any help. We're going out to eat later, pizza upon AJ's request of course." giving Clementine a chuckle before turning back to his work.

After placing the box labeled, 'dishes' on the kitchen counter, Clementine made her way up to her room, basking in the bare walls and scattered furniture. Boxes strewn around her room all with a clean, 'C' written in marker upon them. Most empty rooms had great acoustics.

Prompting Clementine to turn on some energizing music, and begin to push her furniture around her room until she compiled an ideal layout. Shoving the final drawer into her dresser was an empowering feeling, Clementine stood back to take in her new room with a smile. She continued to unpack her boxes, placing random nick-nacks about her room, and hanging posters along with photos on the walls. Until Lee lightly knocked on the door to tell her they were getting ready to leave.

Clementine's clothes were covered in sweat from working under the muggy conditions of her new home. The way her long curls stuck to her neck was becoming unbearable. She always worried if she cut her locks, it would result in her looking like a boy. So instead, she opted to taking a bit of time to style it.

She peeled off her sweaty clothes and changed into something less smelly. Then braided her hair into a single plait that ran down the center of her head. Once she was all cleaned up, and nearly a thousand times more presentable, she bounced down the stairs to meet her family on the lower floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading the first chapter of A Newfound Home. I know this chapter was slow, but please stay tuned! I'm just trying to get everything played out as (somewhat) realistically as possible.
> 
> Things you may have noticed:
> 
> -Clem calls Lee dad: I've noticed that in a lot of fics Clementine calls Lee, well, Lee. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, I just think Clem would call him dad instead of Lee. There will probably be times when Clementine refers to him as Lee instead of dad, but she'll primarily refer to him as her father.
> 
> -The viewpoints change: I find view-changes make stories more interesting because you can get insight into both sides of the story.
> 
> -Clem has long hair: I personally feel like if Clementine was growing up in an ideal world, she would allow her hair to grow. Based off of the first season, I believe she would continue to embrace who she was and what she looks like. Even though this isn't all about how confident Clem is, because trust me, she'll have hardships. I think she'd express herself in ways many teens do today!
> 
> Thanks again! I hope to see you in the next episode!


	2. The Second Night

Lee, AJ, and Clementine walked into the welcoming pizza parlor and were quickly greeted by a friendly server then seated. They fell into a soft conversation about what their next month was going to look like. Eventually their pizza arrived, AJ dug right in.

"Jeez Goofball, slow down. You're going to choke," Clementine kicked AJ's foot under the table but he continued to scarf down his first slice.

"School's starting back up in two weeks, so we're going to have to find some time to get supplies. Not to mention grocery shopping, and y'know everything else." as Lee listed off more things they had to do before summer vacation ended, Clementine and AJ shared a nervous glance. Joining a new school wasn't going to be easy, but Clementine just hoped AJ would be able to make friends.

He was a sweet kid, but he'd always had trouble making friends. Which wasn't exactly normal for an eight-year-old. Sure he was outgoing, but he also had a bit of trouble keeping his mouth shut about his past traumas. Often deeming him as the weird kid, which Clementine thought was absurd. But she wasn't around to defend him when he was at school.

Clem's thoughts continued to string along. Until AJ's monstrous burp pulled her out of her trance, immediately making eye contact with Lee who was just as dumbfounded. The two began to laugh.

"Now AJ, you know to mind your manners, especially when we're eating out. What do you say?" Lee's eyebrows lifted in a questioning stare, his laughter came to a halt.

"Excuse me," muttered AJ.

"Not bad kid, but I bet I could do better," a new, somewhat familiar voice chimed in from the booth behind AJ and Lee. Chuckling as he turned around, Louis instantly made eye contact with Clementine.

"I don't really think so, but thanks," AJ bluffed at Louis' backhanded compliment.

"So, Clementine? We meet again." Louis stated, exchanging his laughter for a smile. He hadn't taken his eyes off of her since he turned around, it made Clementine's mouth go dry.

Across the table from Louis, Marlon sat with his head in his hands. "I'm sorry about him, he doesn't know how to act in public," Marlon said, finally looking up at Lee.

Despite her eyes being glued on the boys, Clementine tore her gaze away to face Lee. "Dad, this is Marlon and Louis. They're the guys I met outside earlier. Marlon is our neighbor, and Louis, uh he's Marlon's friend," by the description Clementine gave earlier, it was more than easy for him to decipher who was who.

"It's nice to meet you boys. I look forward to seeing you around Marlon." Lee said with his signature smile, turning away from the duo and focusing on his pizza, he was clearly exhausted from the long drive and unpacking.

Clementine's eyes met Louis' one last time before he turned away and began talking to Marlon again. She didn't think too far into the boys showing up at the same place as her, it was the only pizza place in town. Not to mention it was affordable, so it wasn't highly coincidental.

"They seem nice," Lee shrugged. "As nice as mild-mannered teenage boys can get, that is," he smirked as he took a bite of his pizza. Clementine couldn't hold back her amused smile.

They fell back into conversation, still on the topic of school. Lee was stressed about preparing for his students. And Clem just wished he would be able to relax for a bit, he'd been working all summer. First, he was offered his new job, then he had to worry about relocating and selling their old house, now he hardly had any time to prepare his lessons.

A waitress stopped by to drop off their check just as Lee finished off the last slice. He slipped his card into the case and leaned back, closing his eyes.

"Hey Lee, how about I drive home?" Clementine spoke softly, she couldn't get over the fact of how exhausted he was.

"Sure thing Sweetpea, but only if you want to." He opened his tired eyes with a smile, which only gave her an extra push.

"Well, someone has to take your spot as best chauffeur," she jokingly batted a hand. Smiling when the waitress returned to take Lee's card. AJ rubbed his face, he was just as tired as Lee, despite sleeping for half the drive. Clementine knew he was still going to stay up late playing video games though.

The waitress returned for the third and final time to drop off Lee's card. He left a generous tip, as per usual. He shuffled out of the booth, AJ following close behind. Clementine lingered for a second longer to make sure he hadn't left anything behind before catching up with her family. The warm evening air bit at Clementine.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Louis glanced over his shoulder as the girl left. Clementine was nearly out of his line of sight, the only exception being her bouncy braid. He turned back to Marlon, where he was met with a smirk. Making it impossible for him not to roll his eyes.

"Really? You just met the girl what, seven hours ago?" Marlon's smirk stayed on his face as he lifted a single eyebrow. Lous was having a difficult time coming up with something witty to say in return.

"What? I can't try to make new friends? Are you jealous? Afraid I'm going to abandon you for a shiny, new, prettier friend?" He kicked himself at his remark as the final words slipped out of his mouth, realizing he made one small but fatal mistake. "I mean uh- partier? Yeah, partier! Clementine can surely party!"

"Partier isn't a word Louis," Marlon shook his head as he laughed, taking another bite of his pizza.

Louis sunk into his seat, he'd just met Clementine today, originally intrigued by her moving truck. He didn't even know she was a girl, he was just bored! But now he wanted to help her finish her summer properly, and move into her new life easily. New people didn't come around often, especially not people his age. And especially not pretty girls.

Ugh, there was that word again. Louis pushed Clementine to the back of his mind so he could function properly while speaking to Marlon.

* * *

The boys pulled back into Marlon's driveway as the sun began to set over the horizon. The sky left an orange, dazzling hue over everything it touched. Including Clementine's window, where her thick curls fell over her shoulders, a camera blocking the view of her face while she aimed the lens into the distance. Louis' heart skipped a beat as Clementine pulled the camera back from her face, looking down to see what magic she photographed. A few stray curls fell onto her face.

Louis noted to thank Marlon for living where he lived later. But for now, he was lost in the way the golden rays glittered upon Clementine's skin.

* * *

**Clementine's POV**

Clementine stared into the screen on her camera that displayed photos of her first sunset in Virginia. Pulling the strap from around her neck, and placing her equipment on her dresser to finish watching the sun duck behind the distant trees. Her view drifted from the sky down to Marlon's house, where Louis stood in the yard, apposed to joining Marlon on his patio. Louis visibly jumped when Clementine caught him. She couldn't help but raise her hand to wave a polite hello, he mirrored her actions before turning away. His shoulders relaxed as he made his way to his blonde friend.

Perhaps Lee had a point, maybe she was already making new friends. She didn't have many back in Georgia, well she had a lot of friends. But not many she interacted with outside of school, there was only Sarah and Duck. Who she'd been unknowingly ignoring all day.

She finally took the time to give her phone attention, with her friends still on her mind. A chain of random messages from the events during Sarah's day was the first thing to greet her. Then a text from Duck asking how Virginia was treating, 'her virgin ass' flattering, and genuine; two words that don't describe Duck.

Sarah was Clementine's closest friend in Georgia. Sure she could be naive, but she was a great friend once you got past that. Sarah's lack of friends made her extremely loyal to Clementine, she always felt like she was receiving gifts from the girl. Eventually, Clementine had to tell her that she didn't need to reward her for being her friend.

Sending off her final messages, Clementine padded down the stairs to wish Lee and AJ a goodnight. Lee was already out cold on the couch, to which Clementine woke him from his slumber, urging him to lay in bed instead of on their couch.

Knocking as a warning before opening AJ's door, Clementine met the sight of AJ playing a random video game on his tablet, talking to friends. Mouthing 'goodnight' and giving AJ a light kiss on the top of his head before making her way back up to her room. Preparing to spend the rest of her night fiddling around with random tasks, which likely included texting Sarah. Certainly a more welcoming thing to do than organize clothes.

* * *

Lee left far before Clem even considered waking up, leaving a nutritious breakfast of donuts on the counter for his children to share. Clementine picked up a donut with some extra girth to ease her hunger. Making her way to the living room where AJ was watching Disco Broccoli.

"Can we PLEASE go to the park today?" AJ pleaded, his question came out of nowhere, but it didn't surprise Clem. She thought about whether or not she would make him sweat for a few minutes or not. Deciding on the latter.

"I don't see why not, Lee would probably like it if we went out for a bit anyway." punctuating her sentence by taking a bite of her donut.

"Okay! We'll go when you're done eating!"

"AJ, I think I'm going to need a little more time than that."

"Okay! How about 10 minutes after you're done?"

"How about you get ready, watch some more Disco Broccoli, then wait for me to finish up?"

"Okay, deal!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That does it for chapter 2! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed. I have a lot of ideas floating around, so stay tuned for the next chapter!


	3. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the support I've received on this platform! I originally started writing this story on Wattpad because I couldn't find any that interested me. But the community here is so kind, so thank you again!

Clementine and AJ walked to the park, AJ a few leaps ahead, jumping over every crack in the sidewalk. Eventually the park came into Clementine's line of sight, AJ waited patiently for her at the sidewalk so the pair could cross the street together. AJ didn't waste any time running to the center of the park as soon as they walked through the gate, leaving Clem in the dust. She tried to keep an eye on her younger brother but he was already somewhere within the jungle of a playground.

Instead of following AJ throughout the park, Clementine just decided on swinging until he was all tuckered out. Zoning out was becoming a frequent occurrence for Clementine. Her eyes dropped to her feet, toeing at the wood chip covered ground. Anxious thoughts plagued her mind as she considered what it would be like to through her last year of high school alone. Rendering her unaware of the redhead walking to her side.

"Hello there!" her bubbly voice forced Clementine's head up, the sun bouncing off her long, shiny hair as she took a seat on the swing next to Clementine, "I've never seen you around here before. My name is Sophie!" she said as she reached out her delicate hand to Clem's.

"Hi, I'm Clementine." Sophie stared at Clementine expectantly as the two shook hands, waiting for more of her backstory. Clementine could feel her heart pound in her chest, intimidated by the pretty girl before her. "My family just moved in from Georgia a couple of days ago."

"That's so cool! Have you met anyone so far? I'm here with my sister, my twin may I add, and her girlfriend! I mean, if you want to meet them?" releasing Clementine's hand mid-sentence.

"Yeah, that sounds nice. And I haven't met anyone except my neighbor and his friend yet. Since it seems like everyone knows each other here, you might know them, um Louis and Marlon?" Sophie's eyes lit up at the mention of their names.

"Of course I know them! Marlon is actually our very own local football star, he's dating one of my friends too. And Louis, he's just the sweetest!"

Clementine's heart fluttered a bit at someone else saying Louis' name, "They seemed nice enough. As far as first impressions go, at least."

The pair sat in a comfortable silence for a couple seconds before Sophie jumped up, "Why don't I introduce you to my sister? I'm sure you'll just fit in so nicely with our group!" reaching out to tug on Clem's wrist, signaling her to follow her new acquaintance. Sophie and Clementine approached two girls who were sitting on a bench. They laughed softly, Sophie's twins back was tucked between the blonde's knees as she played with her girlfriend's short red hair.

"Minnie, Vi! This is Clementine, she just moved here from Georgia!" Sophie sang out, as the pair looked towards Clementine in unison. "Clementine, this is my twin, Minerva, everyone calls her Minnie though. And this is her girlfriend Violet!"

Sophie sat down on a bench near the girls, Clementine following close behind. They fell into a light conversation, Minnie was nearly the polar opposite of Sophie. She was nice, but she was certainly a bit rougher than her feminine twin. Her hair wasn't done as nicely as Sophie's, Clementine wasn't even sure if she'd brushed it by the way her light waves fell just below her chin.

Violet on the other hand, wasn't as outgoing as the sisters. Like Clementine, she only chimed in when she saw fit. Not too keen upon outsiders, her high cheekbones and light hair were her most prominent traits. She wasn't as dainty as Sophie, nor as boyish as Minnie, she was a good mixture. Their conversations stretched into the afternoon, until a worn-out AJ and yet another unfamiliar face, slowly walked over to the girls.

"Clem! This is Tennessee, I just met him he's really cool! He likes to draw, and he was named after the state, but he likes to be called Tenn!" AJ stopped to take a breath of air, slumping down next to Clementine.

"Oh, so he just failed to mention he has two spectacular sisters?" Minerva sarcastically interrogated the boys.

"Nice to meet you, Tenn, I'm glad AJ could find a new friend." Clementine smiled sweetly at the boy who nervously rolled his hand together. Sharing his own shy smile. A small wave of relief floated over Clementine at the sight of AJ's first friend in their new town.

"I think we should be the grateful ones, Tenn here is a bit, uh. How do I say this nicely, socially awkward?" Sophie giggled out, receiving a look from Tenn.

"You ready to head out? We've been here for a while." Minerva's deeper voice rolled out yet again. Tenn nodded lightly at his sister, slowly dropping his hands down to his sides.

"That's why we were coming over here! The heat is killing me." AJ exaggerated his words by fanning himself with both of his hands.

"I guess it's settled then." Clementine stood from her spot on the bench to ruffle AJ's hair, "It was really nice to meet you guys!"

Before Clementine could turn away Sophie audibly gasped, "Wait! We have to like, exchange numbers, or socials, or something first!" Jumping up from her seat Sophie pulled out her phone, handing it to Clementine so she could put her number in. "That way we can keep in touch, and you can hang out with us! We're almost always out, and I'm sure Tenn wouldn't mind a couple play dates." Clementine finished putting her number into Sophie's phone, handing it back with a genuine smile. Violet and Minnie waved goodbye as AJ and Clem began to make their way home.

"Clementine," shocked by AJ's serious tone, Clem turned towards her brother waiting patiently for him to carry on, "I am so tired, can I PLEASE have a piggyback ride?" he put his hands together, pouting dramatically. He was really pulling out all the theatrics today.

"Okay, okay, why not?" Clementine got down to a point where AJ could climb on her back, hitching him up, and making sure not to step on any cracks, as per his request.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Marlon and Louis were splayed out across Marlon's lawn. Rosie laid herself out on top of Marlon's sweat-stained t-shirt. Louis silently listed off ways to beat the heat, as well as his boredom, until he heard laughter from all the way down the street. He quickly sat up, almost instantaneously spotting AJ on Clementine's back as she leaped over small distances on the sidewalk.

The boy laughed between every jump, with Clementine joining him in his contagious laughter. Louis' heart skipped a beat, or twenty, as he watched the way Clementine nimbly and gracefully landed after each hop. Her laughter flooding his ears was making him dizzy. He couldn't tear his eyes off of her no matter how hard he tried. For strictly platonic reasons, of course, well maybe. Louis was a hopeless romantic, what could he say?

The pair eventually made it to their lawn, where Clementine gently dropped AJ onto the grass, falling beside her brother with a groan. Louis realized seconds too late that he should look away when AJ looked straight into his eyes, he had officially been caught. Quickly adverting his line of sight away from the girl, he turned his body to face Marlon instead of Clem's lawn. AJ laughed loudly, catching Louis' eye again as he nudged Clementine, to which she too looked across the street.

Her eyes were full of amusement, and her cheeks lightly flushed, dusted with a pink hue. She slowly stood up, making her way towards her front door, a sight Louis had already seen once before. Clementine mimicked her movements from the day prior, but this time her double-take lasted longer. Holding Louis' gaze as a beautiful smile bloomed across her face, then she was gone. Louis wasn't at a loss for words often, but sometimes exceptions were made.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

The muggy day dragged on, Clementine had never fared well in the heat. She did all that she could to wave off the dreadful boiling sensation all over her body. Changing into a light sundress, and pulling her hair into a bun, Clementine did her best to cool down. She opened her window, hoping to let in cool air. Unfortunately the lack of a breeze and the sun beating down on her house proved her efforts to be fruitless. Clementine patterned down the stair, making her way downstairs to Lee.

"Hey, I'm gonna go out for a walk, it's way too stuffy in here." Lee hummed out an approval, preoccupied with sorting through boxes. Clem grabbed her bag stuffing a book, and her phone inside. She embarked on her journey to find a cool patch of shade.

However, the new town was foreign to the girl. Resulting in her to wander aimlessly through the streets, but keeping track of landmarks so she could make it back home in one piece. Eventually she came across a small, but quiet swimming hole, shaded by trees. She quickly settled down at the base of a dogwood and began to read.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Louis wouldn't consider what he was doing to be stalking, he was merely making sure no creepers decided to antagonize Clementine. Even though what he was doing was mildly creepy, it was for the greater good! That was... until she toed off her sandals, leaning herself against a tree. He watched as a few wayward curls fell into her face, and her body relaxed while she read her novel.

Louis felt like he had a lump in his throat, he didn't want to bother the girl, but he was also itching to get closer. Jeez, maybe he was a creep. But what was the worse that could happen? He practically lived at the old swimming hole in his earlier years.


	4. Dark Waters

The snapping of a twig behind her caught Clem's attention instantly. Louis' chocolate eyes met Clementine's golden set as soon as she turned around.

"W-What are you doing here?" Clementine quickly spat out, wrapping her arms around her now self-conscious form.

"I- well I mean- I saw you walking alone, and you know how people can be?" ripping his gaze from Clementine's eyes and rubbing the back of his neck. What was his problem? Can't a girl get a little peace?

"You mean people like you? How long have you been watching me?" now she stood, arms still snugly wrapped around her waist. Louis looked back at the girl in front of him.

"I guess the entire time you've been here, then a little longer," now it was Clementine's turn to face away from him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You don't have to do that you know?" a small blush crept upon his cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" She glared back up at the boy.

Louis cautiously walked towards Clementine, lightly grazing, then grasping hers. He pulled them away from her torso and placed them back at her sides. Not once losing eye contact.

"You shouldn't worry about what you look like," his voice was faint but loud enough for Clementine to hear, "You're too pretty for that." Louis finished with a smirk as he tucked a defiant curl behind her ear, still holding onto one of her hands. At that moment Clementine wished they weren't as close as they were, because she was more than certain that he could see the deep color coating her cheeks.

And boy, were they close? Clem quickly stepped away, taking her hand with her. It took a second for her to collect herself before she came up with a response. "Um, thank you," she turned to the side, placing a hand on her face to hide the blush that burned her cheeks.

Louis grinned at the girl, amused by how bashful she was. "Anytime, Darling," this earned him another glare from Clementine. "So, are we getting in?"

"Getting in?" She crossed her arms at him, in a playful way instead of a nervous way.

"Yeah, we ARE at a swimming hole."

"I didn't bring a bathing suit?"

"Who doesn't wear a bathing suit to go swimming?"

"I wasn't planning on swimming! I've only been here for what, two days? How was I supposed to know where I was going?"

Louis laughed at the stern girl, "Okay, well it's hot. So I'm going in, with or without you," he flicked her nose before he turned away from Clementine and tugged the hem of his shirt over his head.

"What are you doing?" Clementine squeaked out, quickly covering her eyes with her hands. She was not interested in seeing a schlong, ding dong, weiner, whatever you want to call it.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Before I closed my eyes, it looked like you were getting naked." Her mind drifted to thoughts of his bare chest covered in familiar freckles. Bad, no!

"I would never get naked for a girl during our first date. What kind of man do you think I am? Huh? I'm no slut, I should just pack up and leave right now!" But he wasn't leaving, because Clementine heard him unzipping his shorts.

"Stop stop stop stop. Also, this is NOT a date!"

"Clementine I'm not naked, calm down," he ignored her protests. She allowed a split between her fingers, Clementine noticed he was in nothing but boxers.

"This is NOT safe for work, Louis!" She shouted, covering her eyes yet again.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm quite proud of my body!"

"That's not the point!"

"Oh so you agree, I'm basically a Greek god?" She shook her head violently behind her hands at his statement.

"No! I never said anything such thi-" Clementine was cut off by a splash behind her, finally uncovering her eyes to find Louis already in the water, cutting off anything below his collarbones.

"Come on Clem, the water's fine," the dread headed boy laughed out. Clementine walked to the edge of the dock that Louis was clinging onto, her white sundress flowed gently in the breeze as she crouched down a few feet away from him.

"In your dreams, Freckles," she grinned at the boy as she spoke.

"Please, I promise I won't look!" Louis brought his dripping hand towards Clementine, pinky out, "A pinky promise at that!"

Glancing briefly between his finger, and his face Clementine finally wrapped her pinky around his, "Okay, but only if you don't look."

"Scouts honor!" Louis turned around in the water, even going the extra mile to cover his already closed eyes. Clementine's fingers nervously traced the bottom of her dress before pulling it over her head and placing it gently on the dock. "Can I look now?"

"No! I'm not in yet, just be patient." She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Calm down, it's going to be okay. How do you know? Shut up brain!

"Patience isn't exactly my middle name."

"I barely know you, yet I already know you're telling the truth," Clementine said as she slid herself off the edge of the dock into the water next to Louis. "O-Okay you can look now," speaking softly as she tread the water.

Louis turned towards her, opening his eyes, "Why, Clementine, you're as red as a beet!"

"No I'm not!" she said as she splashed Louis, "It's just cold!"

"Oh, my Darling, you don't know what you just started." Clementine tried to swim away but Louis chased her, matching her waves with much larger ones. The two bounced around the water taking shots at each other.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

The sun began to set as the two fell into a light conversation, they restored to holding onto the dock instead of swimming. Clementine's dark curls clung to her face, which was still flushed, but this time it was from the exhaustion brought to her by swimming. Shutting her eyes, Clementine placed her head on the dock. Her dark eyelashes were more distinct than usual from the long time she spent in the water, her face was bare of any makeup and it was clear she had. Louis couldn't help but smile while he stared at her. He wished their time together could last forever, but he had to get her home before dark. Louis dragged his eyes away from the girl as he pulled himself out of the water.

"Where are you going?" She opened her tired eyes as she spoke in a raspy voice. He'd never heard anything besides her natural smooth voice before. And, quite frankly, it sent chills down his spine.

"We're going home, Darling. We wouldn't want anyone to get worried about you, huh?" carefully wrapping his fingers around Clementine's which were now cold, and shriveled like raisins.

"What about you?" her voice was hushed as she remained in the water, receiving a light squeeze from Louis.

"Don't worry about me Clem, now come on out let's get you home," Clementine's spare hand wrapped around his giving it a tighter squeeze than he gave her before.

"Help me out."

"But I gave you my scouts honor?"

"With all that jostling around, I highly doubt you didn't see anything," she was right, but he didn't know if he was ready to see her in full.

"I think I'm going to have to close my eyes still. I wouldn't want to get kicked out of boy scouts." Louis got on his knees to grasp Clem's petite form, easily pulling her onto the dock, and into his arms. But instead of instantly pulling away like he expected she would, Clementine wrapped her arms around Louis' shoulders.

"Thank you for being my friend, Freckles," Clementine spoke softly into Louis' neck. He had to swallow a boulder-sized lump in his throat before he could speak again

"Of course, Darling." With that, she released her grip on the boy and walked away. Louis stayed in his place until she gave him the all-clear.

"Come on Louis, you're going to catch a cold if you sit out here much longer." Her voice was less hoarse now and it was filled with light humor. He could tell she was definitely worried about him though, or at least that's what he liked to tell himself.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

Their little swim went quite smoothly until the end. Despite her drained state, she could still hear the pain intermingled in his voice. She hated the fact that she was allowing him to grow on her as quickly as he was, but she also couldn't deny the feeling of true exuberance he gave her. And she wanted to be his friend just as much as he wanted to be hers.

It wasn't her intention to let Louis hold her longer than necessary, it just happened. You know, heat of the moment? But he was right, for once, she needed to get home before Lee grew too worried.

After their little... moment? Clementine had to wait for Louis to get dressed. She didn't watch him though! Not the entire time at least. He had his shorts on! And a little peak just confirmed her theory, his back and shoulders were covered in disorganized splashes of freckles. They both neglected to say anything as they left the tree-covered haven he referred to as the swimming hole.

"What's your favorite kind of candy?" Louis finally broke the silence, a calming smile spread across his face as water dripped off his dreads.

"It depends on the day, but I usually go for gummies. What about you?" She struggled to keep up with his longer strides. It was a good time for her to finally take in the height difference. He didn't tower over her, but he had at least a head and a half more than her

"Hmm, I'm more of a chocolate guy." He looked deep in thought, it was clearly a troubling topic. His brain must have been working at full speed.

"I wouldn't have pegged you as a chocolate lover, seems kinda out of character if you ask me," Clementine smirked, it nearly faltered when her neighborhood came into view.

"What, I don't come off as having a refined and sophisticated palette?" He raised an eyebrow. She took in his baggy shorts and average t-shirt.

"You easily could have fooled me," She could have sworn Louis' eyes shined brighter for just a second. He walked her all the way up to her doorstep to ensure she got inside safely.

"Bye Louis, I'll see you around," her hair dripped onto the cement at her feet.

"See you soon, Clem," after throwing a quick wink at the girl he turned around and jogged across the street towards Marlon's house.

Clementine pushed the door open and walked inside, expecting the rest of its residents to be somewhere in the living room, "Lee? AJ? Hello?"

"In here!" Lee's deep voice rang from the kitchen, where Clementine was greeted by a lovely aroma, as her dad turned to take in her appearance. "What took you so long?"

"I went for a swim."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This platform is where I receive the most support and feedback, so I've got a little question! I usually have time to publish a few chapters, just a little over 1k words on the weekends. But I personally enjoy reading longer chapters, so that's where my question comes in. Would you like to see more frequent postings of short chapters, or posts probably around 3 times a week, for now at least, of longer chapters (around 1,500-2,000 words)? Once again, thank you so much for the support! Every comment, kudos, and hit means so much to me! <3


	5. Ericson's Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come on, who doesn't love a little girl time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just gonna do a double-update to get all the current chapters up!

After a night jam-packed full of sleep, Clementine was ready for the new day. A friendly text from Sophie was the first thing Clementine woke up to, she invited Clementine to go out for ice cream with some of their other friends. Clementine quickly got dressed for the day, sporting simple shorts and a tank top. Taking the stairs two at a time with an extra bounce in her step, Clementine walked in on Lee making breakfast.

"Morning Dad," Clementine said, flopping down onto one of the stools across the counter from him. "Would it be okay if I met up with some friends today?"

"Already? Look at my little social butterfly," Lee teased as he scooped some scrambled eggs onto a plate for Clementine, "What kind of friends are we talking about here?" lifting an eyebrow in question.

"Just some girls I met at the park yesterday, then their friends, which I haven't met yet. So that's all the intel I have to offer for now," Clem smirked as she shoveled food into her mouth.

"Okay, but no drinking, no drugs, no kissing, no se-"

"Alright! Thanks, Lee, that's enough for now."

Lee laughed as a groggy AJ walked into the room, far less rested than Clementine.

"Good morning, Goofball. How did you sleep?" Clementine waited for an answer to her question, which was growing stale from hanging in the air for so long.

"Mhmm," AJ groaned out.

"Great, good talk." pulling herself from her stool, Clementine made her way to the sink to wash her dish before bounding back upstairs before shooting a reply to Sophie. The latter replied quickly, informing Clementine they'd pick her up. Clementine sent Sophie her address and finished getting ready.

She pulled her hair into pigtails, applied some mascara, then dabbled a bit of blush and highlight on her cheeks and nose. Patiently waiting for the girls to pull up outside.

* * *

Clementine shut the car door behind her as she climbed into the backseat with Sophie, "Thank you for inviting me, guys!"

"Of course Clem! It's always nice to meet new people." Sophie chirped. Violet was in the driver seat, with Minerva sat in the passenger as her co-pilot. Pulling away from the curb Violet started driving towards their destination.

"Wanna give me a little rundown of who we're meeting?"

"Oh, yeah! So, we're meeting up with our friends Ruby, and Brody. They're going to love you, especially since our circle has been shrinking. High school is rough. Anyways, we're just gonna have a nice girls day!" Sophie's energy was unparalleled to any other high school girl Clementine had ever met. Her blue eyes sparkled nearly every time she spoke.

"That sounds perfect," Clementine smiled at Sophie. The car eventually fell into a lively conversation about the end of summer, and school starting back up.

* * *

The girl's parked outside the local ice cream parlor, which was buzzing with life. A pair of girls stood by the entrance before Violet caught their eye.

"Howdy ladies!" shouted out a short girl with fiery red curls and a deep southern accent.

"Hi Ruby! Hi Brody!" Sophie walked over to the girls, giving them both a brief hug, "This is Clementine! We met her at the park yesterday, she just moved in from Georgia!"

"Hello, it's nice to meet you both," Clementine shyly spoke, reaching her hand out to Ruby.

"The pleasure is all mine dear!" Ruby gave Clementine an award-winning smile as she shook her hand. Once Ruby let go, Clementine shifted her hand towards Brody, who smiled softly taking her hand. A few strands of her light auburn hair falling into her eye.

"Now that that's out of the way, let's get our scoops. I've been fiending for some mint chip all day!" Minerva said, walking toward the door.

"Ew, why mint chip? Why don't you get, like, cookie dough or something instead?" Violet complained as she followed Minerva inside, everyone else trailing behind. After their orders were taken they sat outside.

"So, are you guys going to Mitch's house tonight?" Brody spoke for only the second time since she met the girl, the first being when she ordered her ice cream.

"What's happening at Mitch's?" Violet questioned roughly.

"Well, while we were waiting for y'all to show up, Mitch invited us to one of his hootenannies," Ruby informed the group as she took a bite of her ice cream.

"Sounds like fun, I'm in! Vi?" Minnie glanced at Violet waiting for an answer, to which she shrugged.

"If you go, I'll go, I guess," speaking nonchalantly as she stirred around her ice cream.

"What about you Clem?" Sophie said with a nudge, "Say, you could come over after too! No, everyone could! Wouldn't that be so fun?"

"I wouldn't want to impose, I mean I don't know Mitch," Clementine said in a light tone.

"Oh you wouldn't be imposing! I'm sure Mitch doesn't know half the people at his parties, how's one more person going to hurt?"

"Well, I couldn't turn down an invitation like that," Clementine smiled, "I'll ask my dad if I can stay over."

The girls all accepted Sophie's invite, then packed back up into their respective cars, agreeing to meet at the twin's house before the party to get ready together.

* * *

Clementine walked into Lee's study where he was sifting through papers, planning his lessons for the upcoming school year. His head lifted when she opened the door.

"Hey Sweetpea, did you have fun with your friends? Follow my rules?" Lee questioned jokingly.

"Yes, and yes, it was only some other girls from their group. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," nervously fiddling with her fingers as she spoke. Lee waited for her to go on, "I was wondering if I could stay at my friend Sophie's tonight? She invited everyone else over too."

Lee thought for a moment, "I don't see why not, of course, I'll have to meet her parents first," smiling as Clem lit up.

"Thank you Lee!" walking over to her father for a quick hug, "I'm gonna go pack," blushing lightly from how excited she got. Lee watched Clementine leave, feeling his heart squeeze in joy from how proud he was.

* * *

When the time rolled around, Lee brought Clementine to her new friend's house. Immediately after they pulled up, the girls already there energetically greeted Clementine.

"Clem, you're here!" Sophie jogged over to her new guest pulling Clementine's bag out of her hands, Ruby and Minnie were close behind, "You must be Clem's dad? I'm Sophie," her smile was radiant.

"Hi, Sophie, I'm Lee," he smiled back, "You mind if I talk to your parents real quick?"

"Oh, yeah! They're inside, follow me!" Sophie led Lee through her house into the kitchen where her parents were cleaning up, presumably after dinner. "Mom, Dad, this is Lee, Clementine's dad. And of course, this is Clementine!"

"Thank you for having me," Clementine's voice chimed, trying to conceal her excitement.

"Anytime dear!" Sophie's mother rebutted instantly.

"Come on Clem, we'll show you our room," this time it was Minerva who spoke, Clementine followed the girls through the house and into their room. Which unsurprisingly split itself into two distinct sides, one side of the room was cluttered with soft objects, the walls covered with collages and magazine clippings. While the other had band posters plastered on the walls, and clothes lazily strewn over a few surfaces.

Sophie set Clementine's bag at the foot of her bed, taking a seat next to Ruby.

"We're so glad you could make it sugar cube, once you party with us, there's no going back," finishing her sentence with a wink, Ruby began to sift through her own bag.

"Girls! Violet and Brody are here!" the voice was deep, but it didn't belong to Lee, Clementine assumed it was Sophie's dad. One by one, the girls trickled out of the room to greet the newly arrived duo.

Lee stood by the door as well, "Clem, I'm going to head home. You have fun tonight, I love you."

Clementine gave Lee a quick hug, "Love you too, don't have too much fun without me," Lee smiled while he walked out the door, parting ways as Clementine followed her friends back to the room.

Minerva quickly shut the door when Clem walked in, "Okay, here's the plan. Our parents go to sleep early, usually around 7:00, 7:30? We can start getting ready at around 6:00, and if they ask why we're all dressed up when they come to say goodnight, we'll tell them we're just messing around. Capische?" The rest of the group replied with quiet agreements, "Good! Once they're asleep we can quietly," Minerva eyed Sophie, "Make our way out the front door."

"How are we getting back in? Who knows what's going to happen at that party," Brody's soft voice was etched in concern.

"Easy, we leave the window unlocked and carefully," this time Minerva stared at Ruby who rolled her eyes. Something told Clem there was a history behind Minerva's exaggerated phrases towards the girls, "Climb up the tree."

"Okay, sounds doable," Clem chimed in, Minerva smiling at her gratefully.

* * *

Clad in a jean skirt and crop top, Clementine and her new gal pals quietly crept through the house, shoes in hand. The devious smiles splayed across each of their faces turned into giggles as they made it outside the house and began running to Violet's car. Minnie slipped into the passenger seat while Clem, Ruby, Brody, and Sophie crammed themselves into the back.

The girls blabbed for the majority of the drive, still high on adrenaline, singing along to random songs on the radio. They pulled up to a lively house about 15 minutes later, it was still early in the night. Clementine figured even more people would show up as it got later. Sandwiched between Brody and Sophie, Clementine waited patiently for everyone to clamor out of the car.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Laughter fluttered through the door of Mitch's house, followed by the smiling faces belonging to some of his close friends. Louis kicked himself for not inviting Clementine the night before. That was, until he saw her arm in arm with Sophie.

"Louis!" The red-headed girl sung out, dragging Clementine to his side.

"Long time, no see Soph," Louis smiled at Sophie, his eyes flickering between the duo. Clementine's amber eyes glowed in the dimly lit house. "I see you've met my dear friend, Clementine?"

"We met at the park a few days ago! Isn't she just the sweetest?" Sophie gushed, hugging Clementine's arm, leaning her head delicately on her friend's shoulder.

"Indeed she is," making eye contact with Clementine as he replied.

"Anyways! I need a drink, can I get you anything, Clem?" Sophie said as she slowly unlatched her self from the other girl's side.

"I'm okay, thank you though," Clementine watched as Sophie padded towards the kitchen.

"When were you planning on telling me that you're abandoning me?" Crossing his arms as he spoke.

"How about never?"

"My darling! You wound me!" placing a hand theatrically over his heart as he spoke.

"Don't worry Louis, there's no one like you," Clementine playfully shoved his shoulder, earning a grin from the freckled boy.

Looking past Louis, Clementine spotted Marlon's arms wrapped around Brody's waist. She gazed at him in admiration, softly kissing his cheek.

"I didn't know Marlon and Brody were together?" slowly glancing back at Louis, who was already looking at her.

"Yeah, they've been an item for a while now. Maybe like a year?"

"Oh, I didn't know."

"What are you jealous?" Louis leaned forward on the stool, quirking his eyebrow.

"You've gotta be kidding me right?"

"I don't know Clem, his mullet is kinda appealing."

"It looks like a dead cat." this caused Louis to lean back again, laughing. He sipped at his drink, his nose wrinkling a bit at its bitter contents.

"You sure you don't want anything to drink?" Louis questioned, "We've got pop!"

Clementine smiled at the boy, "Pop would be nice."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the first chapter I made a bit on the longer side, so I hope you enjoyed it!


	6. Unfortunate Unveilings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just going to leave a little warning here that this chapter does include underage drinking, so if you're sensitive to that, read with caution!

Just as Clementine predicted, the amount of party guests gradually increased in numbers. She watched as her friends slowly grew more intoxicated, but she decided to stay sober so she could drive the group home. Despite deciding not to drink, Clementine still had a good time with her friends.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Louis found himself glancing at Clementine throughout the entirety of the night. The more he drank, the more often he was caught. He admired the way she didn't drink, unlike many of the other party-goers, Clementine was still capable of dancing around her friends with grace.

There was no way he could ignore the way her face shifted when she was replying sarcastically to one of the girls. He couldn't ignore the way her soft curls touched her face when she turned. Or the way her dimples sunk as she laughed.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

Noticing the way Louis was depending on the wall to keep him stable, Clementine joined the boy.

"Why are you standing, or leaning, over here alone?" her words came out precise.

Which was the opposite of how Louis spoke, "I lost Marlon awhile ago, and you know what they say," he slurred slightly, accentuating 'say'.

"What do they say?"

"I was going to say something about hanging around, but I'm not hanging."

"Okay Lou, I think it's time we start working on getting you sober."

"Why would you ever think that?"

"I don't know, maybe it's because you're about to turn green."

Louis sighed, "Okay my Darling, whatever you say!" The lanky boy pushed himself off the wall, following Clem into the kitchen. The girl handed him a cup she filled with tap water.

"Drink up!"

"Ah, Clem, you really know how to treat a man."

"You, a man?" Clementine grinned as she humbled the boy. His jaw dropped slightly in despair. "Are you trying to catch flies?" Clementine lightly pushed his chin back up.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

As Clementine's fingertips touched his chin he felt his heart do a somersault. If her fingers weren't already holding his chin up, he may have dropped it again. Maybe it was just his intoxicated state, but everything she did sent butterflies straight to his stomach. Until he suddenly felt sick.

"I think I'm gonna hurl." Louis cringed as Clementine's eyes widened and her fingers lost contact with his face.

"Not on me! Where's the bathroom?" She instinctively looked around the surrounding area before spotting a door. "Come on, Freckles," this time her fingers wrapped around his hand. How romantic! If only she wasn't helping him to a bathroom so he could throw up in a nasty toilet.

Clementine quickly opened the door before stopping in her tracks, snapping her head away, groaning in disgust.

"What's the prob-" Louis looked into the room before reacting verbatim to Clementine. "Oh my god, what are you doing?" Louis practically shouted, raising some heads within the proximity.

The pair looked back into the room, where Marlon was frantically pulling away from a girl who clearly wasn't Brody. The girl's legs were still wrapped around his hips when he pulled her away from the wall, practically dropping her. His lips were covered in the stranger's red lipstick, and his dead cat of a mullet was messier than usual. Thankfully, they were both still clothed.

"Don't tell Brody!" Marlon shouted at the duo, his eyes wild with panic.

"Don't tell Brody what?" Suddenly the timid girl appeared behind a bewildered Clementine who tried to reach out to the girl, but Brody only flinched away, pushing herself closer to the door.

"Brody, it didn't mean anything! You've gotta believe me!" His voice was coming out even louder than the first time. More eyes turned towards the group near the bathroom.

"It sure meant something when you were practically begging me to suck you off a minute ago," the stranger rolled her eyes while she shoved herself between Clementine and Louis, walking back towards the heart of the party. Louis hadn't realized Clementine was still holding his hand until her warmth was gone.

"Marlon, what the fuck! What did I do wrong? I thought you were getting our drinks, I was looking for you!" Brody cried out, her voice breaking.

"Brody, babe, I told you! It didn't mean anything to me!" Marlon reached towards the girl, to which she jumped back immediately. Clementine stood by Louis completely still, her hands balled up into fists, and her eyes filled with worry.

A loud smacking sound knocked Louis out of Clementine's spell. Marlon was cradling his face, Brody's face was red with fury.

"Stay the fuck away from me Marlon!" To that, Brody violently turned her body away from the boy and walked out of the bathroom quickly, tears running down her face as she ran out the front door. Clementine turned to Louis for a second, he nodded at the girl signaling he was okay and Brody was more important. She ran after her friend before any more bad things could happen to her.

Marlon and Louis were left alone.

"Dude, I don't- I didn't-" Marlon stuttered out before Louis put up his hand to silence him.

"I'm just gonna let you clean yourself up," with that, the dread-head walked away.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

By the time Clementine found Brody, she was sitting at the side of the road. Her head was tucked between her knees with her arms wrapped protectively around her body, shaking from the sobs that wracked her body.

"Brody?" Clementine spoke softly to make the girl aware that she was there. Her head shot up at the sound of Clementine's voice, who sat next to her on the cold pavement. "I'm sorry."

"I just- I don't understand what I did wrong?" She barked out between sobs.

Clementine placed her hand softly on Brody's back, rubbing reassuring circles, "It wasn't your fault at all. He's just an idiot that wouldn't know a good thing even if it slapped him in the face." This caused Brody to huff out a laugh as she stared at her hand.

"God, I can't believe I did that," she shook her head at the thought of her hand connecting with Marlon's cheek.

"He deserved it!"

"Thank you, Clementine," Brody smiled softly at the girl, her mascara stained cheeks barely visible in the street light.

"Of course. Now, how about we see if any of the girls are ready to leave so we can get you into changed something more comfortable?"

"That sounds really nice."

* * *

The girls all piled back into Violet's car, this time Clem was in the driver seat, seeing as all the other girls had been drinking. After hearing about what happened, no one wanted to leave Brody's side. Ruby and Sophie had their arms limply secured around Brody, they'd both had a bit too much to drink. Clementine was just about to turn over the ignition when a familiar boy ran to the car.

"Can you guys fit one more?" Louis panted out, Clementine looked around the car, which was already cramped. Violet shrugged.

"Okay, but you're going to have to wait until I get everyone else back to Sophie's before I can drop you off," Clementine's words triggered Minerva to climb into the passenger seat with Violet, clearing up some room in the back. Louis stuffed himself in beside Ruby.

* * *

Clementine left Louis in the car so she could supervise her drunk friends while they made their way back through Minerva and Sophie's window. When she returned, Louis' head was leaning lightly against the window, his breathing was even, and his facial features were smoothed. He looked so peaceful, Clementine couldn't bring herself to wake up the boy, so she called Sophie to ask for Louis' address instead.

Five minutes and a brief exchange of texts between Marlon and Clementine did wonders for figuring out where the freckled boy lived. The address belonged to a mansion, with beautiful architecture. When she pulled up to the gate Clementine had to explain to the security guard that she was bringing the sleeping boy home.

She parked Violet's car in an empty driveway. Louis' house, or mansion, looked hauntingly cold. Clementine spared one last glance at the long-jawed boy before gently rubbing her hand along his back, whispering his name to usher him back to consciousness. He soon stretched to life, slumping in his seat while he rubbed his eyes.

"Come on Lou, you can't sleep in Violet's car all night," Clementine remarked as she pushed open her car door to meet Louis around on the other side.

"Thank you for taking me home, Clementine," his voice was quieter than usual, his usual joking tone was replaced by a more serious one. He swung his long legs out of the car, gently closing his door.

"Anytime Louis," the girl followed Louis up to his porch, "Um, are your parents home? If you don't mind me asking that is. I wouldn't want to intr-"

"My dad is out of town right now," he cut off Clementine, his voice remained low and somewhat sad.

"Oh," Clementine chose not to press further. After her years in the system, she found it was better not to pry about parents. "I guess I should get back now, I wouldn't want Violet to worry about her car."

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Clementine began to turn away, the moonlight bouncing off her dark curls. His intoxicated state did nothing more than emphasize the way he felt about the girl.

"Clementine," he didn't even realize her name slipped out of his mouth until it hung between the two. Clem shifted to look Louis in the eye, "Can you, uh- can you stay for a little bit. I just- I don't like being alone," he stared at his feet, waiting for Clementine to reject his invitation.

"Yeah, Lou, of course. I'll stay until you fall asleep okay?" her eyes glittered as she spoke. He nodded in response and began to unlock the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter should be out within the next couple of days!


	7. The Piano's First Tune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a playlist I listen to while writing this story, I'll link it in the next chapter!

Clementine marveled at the interior of Louis' house. The ceilings stretched high, and the foyer was filled with elegantly chiseled marble. She could have stood in the doorway for hours if Louis didn't waste any time getting to his room, and Clementine certainly wasn't trying to get lost in his castle of a home.

Louis looked completely out of place as he climbed up the slightly spiraled stairs. Clementine would have never placed Louis in the mansion they were navigating through. He was clad in a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, nothing was unusual about that. What was unnerving about the situation was the way he diligently made his way throughout his home, completely silent.

Finally, the pair made it to double doors at the end of a hallway. Louis didn't hesitate to push them open, bringing the duo into a lifeless room. The walls were white, small accents of green were scattered across random objects that popped out to Clementine in contrast to the sterile room. The girl eyed a grand piano in one of the room's corners.

"Do you play?" she questioned, gesturing to the lavish instrument.

"Sometimes, I don't get to play as often as I'd like to," the freckled boy made his way over to his piano, lightly tapping a key. He looked like he belonged there, he belonged there more than any other place Clementine had ever seen the boy.

"Why not?"

"My dad doesn't really prioritize these kinds of things," he said, taking a seat on the bench in front of the piano. Clementine padded up behind the boy.

"Play me something."

"I don't know, I don't usually play for guests. Especially after being drunk off my ass for the past two hours," Louis' joking tone finally returned, he flashed one of his award-winning grins at the girl behind him before turning back to his piano. He scooted to the left a bit, opening a space for Clementine, and persuading her to come closer by tapping his hand on the bench. "Any requests?"

"Hmm, play me one of your greatest hits," Clementine spoke with a light giggle.

"I suppose I do have to entertain my company," Louis said as he lightly placed his fingers on the keys. He started to play a familiar tune.

"Louis," her stern tone caused Louis to grin, but he still kept his eyes on the keys. The light sound of 'Oh, My Darling Clementine' continued to rebound off the walls into her ears. That was when he started singing, shooting Clementine a nervous glance at the first few lines. His eyes quickly darted back to the piano.

He sang effortlessly, Clementine felt herself relax as his soft voice fell over her like velvet. She watched the boy, finding herself falling deep within his melody. While his mind was preoccupied, the girl had time to study his features. His face was narrow, his chin fell down to a perfectly rounded point. The freckles that scattered his nose were prominent, presumably darkened by the summer sun. A few stray dreadlocks fell in his face as his fingers continued to delicately patter along the keys.

The song slowly came to an end, Louis let his hands fall to his lap, turning to straddle the bench and beam at Clementine.

"So? Whaddya think?" He inquired with his sleepy eyes which bore into Clementine's.

"I think you've helped me regain some respect for that cursed song," she was joking, but it was true none the less. A soft smile played at his lips before he stifled a yawn, gaining him a look from Clementine. "Okay, enough fun for one night Lou. Go get ready for bed, and don't give me that 'I sleep naked bullshit' I know you haven't been sleeping naked at Marlon's house."

"How would you know? Have you been watching me?" he held a hand to his heart.

"Yes, all the time. Now, up up, go and brush your teeth or something?"

"You aren't coming with me?"

"Do you want me to watch you scrub plaque off your teeth?"

"No, no Clem, I can take care of it," with that the freckled boy confidently waltzed into his bathroom, sparing Clementine a wink, to which she rolled her eyes at before he shut the door.

The girl waited for Louis in his expansively plain room. It matched the same theme as the rest of the house, she only saw Louis in some bits and pieces scattered around the room. The piano, his green comforter, a desk in the corner that had arbitrary novelty items spread across the messy surface. Clementine tried to envision Louis, sprawled in random places around the room, but she still couldn't envision him there. The sound of sloppy footsteps brought Clementine back to reality.

She couldn't help but avert her eyes when he walked in don in nothing but shorts. Yes, she'd already seen him in less than shorts, but that didn't change anything.

"Beddy-bye time!" Louis shouted as he ran and jumped onto his oversized bed. Despite the fluttering in her heart, Clementine held back her grin as she approached the boy. He was quickly shuffling to pull the blankets over his body in a childish manner.

"So am I supposed to watch you lay there until you fall asleep? Or is there some sort of system to this?" Clementine stood at the foot of Louis' bed as he continued to situate himself underneath the covers.

"Just come talk to me," he gestured his hand towards his side, inviting her to come closer. Clementine came to Louis' side, yet she stayed off the bed. "Come on, I don't bite," the boy grinned as he scooted over opening more space for Clementine.

Nervously toeing off her shoes, Clementine climbed on top of the covers to keep a small barrier between the two teens.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

He could tell Clementine was reluctant to lay in the same bed as him, and he couldn't blame her. They just met four days ago, yet she was so caring towards him. Louis didn't understand why she stayed, he was drinking after all, but apparently, he had more self-control than Marlon.

The bed hardly dipped under Clementine's weight as she laid on her side to face the boy. He mirrored her actions yet again. A barely visible blush dusted her cheeks, a few stray curls slipped over her neck and face. He could only assume his face was just as red as hers, if not darker.

The silence was killing Louis, "Why don't you drink?" He couldn't help but cringe at himself as Clementine's eyebrows knitted together.

"I think that's a story for when you're sober, Lou," she spoke lightly as she brushed a dread out of his face. Louis' heart pounded in his chest, he felt like he was going to throw up for the second time that night, but in a good way!

"What about your favorite color?"

"Hmmm, I'm not sure."

"It's blue isn't it? Like that baby kinda blue, but softer, like that shirt you were wearing when we met?"

"Yeah, that's it," Clementine smiled tenderly at the memory.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

She really had no clue what her favorite color was, but now she had a good idea. Even in his intoxicated state, Louis was still charming. No, don't think like that. It was too soon, she couldn't feel that way about someone she just met. That was far too cliche.

"What's yours?" Clementine pushed on, coaxing any other thoughts out.

"Green, I think it complements my eyes."

"Your eyes are brown."

"There's some green in there if you really look! Come on, look harder than you've ever looked before!" Louis said as he placed his fingers on his eyelids, pulling them open comically wide. She couldn't hold back her laughter, but looked into his dark eyes none the less.

"Wow, there actually is," Clementine would have never noticed if it weren't for their close proximity, and an invitation to stare into them. "You win this time, Freckles."

* * *

**Louis' POV**

With nothing to obstruct his view from Clementine, he finally had an excuse to gaze into her amber eyes yet again. He would never get over the stinging in his cheeks each time they locked with his. The girl looked away from him, closing her eyes and basking in the warm summer air that filled his room.

"Beautiful," the words fell out of his mouth, just above a whisper.

"What did you say?" Clementine opened her eyes and turned to face him once again. Shit shit shit.

"I said, 'it's beautiful tonight',"

"Oh, okay. I just thought you said som-"

The girl's phone began to buzz inside her pocket, she pulled it out, revealing the mysterious caller was Sophie. Saved by the bell.

"Hello? Yeah, I'm okay, I'm with Louis," Her eyes widened as loud noises began to come out of the phone. "No! No, I'm just waiting for him to fall asleep," a deep blush ran to her cheeks, "Really, that's all!"

There was a long pause as Clementine listened to her friend talk, she was sitting up now with her knees pulled up to her chest. One hand was holding her phone, while the other traced patterns along the comforter next to Louis' chest. He wanted to reach out and wrap his hand around her slender fingers but refrained himself from doing so.

"Okay, so ding dongs, cookie dough, chicken nuggets, m&ms, and starbursts?" Another pause, "I'll be back in like an hour. Mhmm, okay, bye Sophie." Louis looked at the girl questioningly as she hung up her phone.

"What did she say?" he questioned as he propped himself up on his elbow,

"Just to grab some snacks on the way back over," leftover blush still coated her cheeks.

"And?" Louis wiggled his eyebrows at the girl.

"Nothing!" the girl exclaimed, lightly pushing Louis' shoulder so he would fall onto his back. His laughter quickly made its way to Clementine's ears as he allowed himself to resituate into a new position. "You've gotta go to sleep Louis."

"I can't just go to sleep."

"Sure you can, okay, so the first step is to close your eyes."

Louis smiled to himself as he closed his eyes and pulled the blankets closely around himself. "Is this good?"

* * *

**Clem's POV**

Clementine took a second to steady her voice before she spoke again. "Yes, perfect."

"Okay, tell me a story."

"A story? About what?"

"Anything," and so Clementine went on to whisper familiar tales to the boy until his breathing began to even out. She took note of the way his face relaxed into a content smile, and how his cheeks were flushed from the alcohol in his system. Clementine realized she was staring at him when a couple minutes stretched by and she was still watching the light rise and fall of his chest. Her breath caught in her throat for a split second.

Clementine gently pushed the dreadlocks from the drunken boys face then pushed herself out of his bed. It's too soon, it's only been four days! Stop it Clementine, get yourself together! She quietly pulled a few aspirins from her bag and placed them on his nightstand before gently padding to his door, Clementine spared one last glance at the sleeping boy before quickly making her way back to Sophie's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took some friendly criticism to heart in this chapter, I hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading!


	8. Revenge of the Ericson's Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm considering revamping the first few chapters, I'll probably do it between updates. Which might mean it'll take a little longer for me to publish new chapters, but I'm unhappy with the way they're written. I just think they'll be more enjoyable overall! Anyways, this is the longest chapter I've written thus far and oooh boy. I thought this story was going to be all about fluff and clouis, but I love my babies so much!! Okay, I'm just blabbering on, enjoy!

Pulling herself through Sophie's window, Clementine had finally made it back to her friends.

"Clem! There you are sweetie!" Ruby threw her arms around the girl as she laughed. The girls were clearly still intoxicated, but unlike Louis' sleepy drunk attitude, they were all over the place. It puzzled Clementine when she thought about how the rest of the household was asleep.

Minerva and Violet were canoodling in the corner, their giggling was uncontrollable. Brody looked a lot better, it was probably because Clementine hadn't seen Sophie leave her side since she dropped them off. And Ruby, well she was bursting with energy.

"Here I am," Clementine finally replied to Ruby after analyzing the room. "And I brought everything you wanted! Even though I had to stop at three different gas stations to find cookie dough."

"Yaaaaaayyy," Sophie stood from her bed and lightly wrapped her arms around Clementine, "What would we do without you?"

"Starve, or eat stale pretzels," Clementine giggled out.

"Oooh, food's here," Violet nearly moaned as she walked over to the ever-accumulating group by the window.

"Yeah, and so am I, just in case you were wondering," Clementine teased with a grin while Violet pulled the chicken nuggets out of the bag in Clementine's arms.

Violet ignored Clementine, she swore she could see stars in Violet's eyes when she stared at the frozen food in her hands, "Come on Minnie, we have shit to do," with that, the pair snickered while running out of the room and down the hall. Brody was the only one who hadn't got up from her place yet.

"How're you feeling?" Clem asked lightly, taking a seat beside Brody on Sophie's bed.

"Better, I guess. I'm just happy we're out of there, all that noise was loud enough to make anyone go insane," Brody shook her head lightly. That was when Clementine realized everyone was out of their party attire, and in assorted sleepwear.

"Well, I'm happy we were able to get you out of there," Clementine shot a smile at Brody and rubbed her arm in a, hopefully, comforting way. The curly-haired girl got up and began changing into simple pajama shorts and a t-shirt.

"So you and Louis huh?" Sophie suggestively raised an eyebrow at Clem, moving to lay on her stomach and swinging her legs back and forth.

"Ooooh, Louis and Clementine sittin' in a tree. K - I - S - S - I - N - G, first comes love then comes marriage then comes the ba-" Ruby continued to chant until Clementine cut her off.

"No! Nothing is going on between Louis and I! We only met a few days ago! That would just be weird," Clementine repelled their questions like a bug avoiding a citronella candle.

"The heart wants what it wants babe!" Sophie exclaimed, grabbing onto Clementine's ankles. Clementine's cheeks burned at the topic of her love life, or lack of.

"She's blushing!" Brody pointed out, much to Clementine's avail. Typically sleepover topic: boys, cute boys. No not cute boys, not cute at all!

"He's just a silly boy who plays the piano!" Clementine continued to object, looking at the wall and avoiding eye contact with any of the girls.

"He played the piano for you? Oh, he's in love!" Ruby shouted as she mimed a kiss scene.

"He was drunk! Nothing happened, he just played a song! I promise, It was strictly business," Clementine assured the group, and somewhat herself.

"Strictly business sounds a lot like making out," Brody spat out through her laughter, Clementine was just happy to see the girl smile again.

"We didn't make out, or kiss, or even hug, nothing happened!" Clementine caught herself murmuring under her breath, which in return granted her a pillow to the face by Sophie. Easily catching Clementine's attention.

"But you want to?" The pillow throwing culprit stared at Clementine, her eyes wide with question. She was on her knees in front of Clementine, practically begging her for an answer. A grin was plastered on her face, which did nothing for Clementine's nerves.

"N-no! No, it's not like that at all!" Clementine quickly stammered out. Which was true, Clementine enjoyed her time with Louis but didn't plan on sucking face with him anytime soon.

The other girls were interrupted by Minerva barging in chicken nuggets in one hand, and Violet's hand in the other. "Okay, so, two, no three things. One, what's going on?"

"Louis is in loooove with Clementine!" Ruby giggled out bashfully. Clementine felt the fire in her cheeks rekindle.

"He is not in love with me!" Clementine protested yet again, punctuating her sentence with an eye roll.

"Oh, we're just teasing sugar," tapping Clem's knee before turning back to Minnie.

"But he totally likes you, at least a little bit," Violet remarked with a sly smirk, receiving a glare from Clementine. "What! He was checking you out, like all night." The rest of the girls hummed in agreeance.

"Anyways! We should TP Marlon's house for being a cheating dickhead," Minerva interjected. He did deserve it, even a minor punishment would do.

"I don't know, his parents would probably end up cleaning it all," Brody quietly replied as she fumbled with her fingers. The girl did have a point, Marlon's parent's probably cared about their house more than he did.

"Then let's egg his car!" Violet beamed in triumph with her idea. It was a better idea than TPing his whole house.

"And then dump flour on it when we're done. That shit will be like oobleck, good luck getting that off," Clementine added in a conniving tone. No offense Marlon, but suffer.

"Hell yeah!" Sophie shouted dizzily. Everyone glanced at Brody who just replied with a simple smile and nodded her head.

"And finally, let's go on an end of summer road trip!" Minerva slurred out.

There was absolutely no way Lee was going to let her go with them. She just met them, and they just moved in. He probably wanted her to take some time to settle. Of course he was happy for her, that much was apparent. But another road trip, after they just got finished driving from Georgia, and with her friends he hardly knew?

"Minnie, we have like two weeks until school starts. Do you really think any of our parents are going to let us do that? Especially if we invite the guys?" Sophie questioned lightly, pursing her lips into a straight line.

And they were thinking about adding boys into the mix? Oh boy, Lee was going to love this.

"Sophie does have a point honey. It's going to take a lot of convincing," Ruby's voice was full of sincerity.

"Well, let's just ask then see what happens okay! If we can go then we'll make a plan or something. But right now we have bigger things to get to." Minerva ended the discussion then turned to Clementine, "You up for another gas station stop?"

"Of course," a mischievous grin spread across Clem's mouth before the girls began to make their way back out the window.

"Don't forget the chicken nuggets!" Violet shouted at Minnie before she climbed out. They clambered in the car yet again, this time they were on a mission.

* * *

The group rolled up to a gas station just outside of Clementine, and Marlon's, neighborhood. Clementine turned to Brody who was sitting in the passenger seat, "You coming with?"

"Yeah, let's get this asshole," Brody pushed open her door, quickly getting out and slamming it. Clementine followed in Brody's path until they were inside, when Clementine first met her new friend group she took note of how timid Brody was. She was still shy, but Clementine could tell she had a fire inside of her, and right now it was bursting out.

"Hey Brody, who's your friend?" The cashier questioned when the girls walked in, his thick eyebrows were the first feature Clementine focused on.

"Aasim, this is Clementine. Clementine, Aasim," Brody briefly introduced the two. "We need eggs and flour, you got any?"

"What kind of gas station has eggs, or flour?" Aasim raised an eyebrow.

"Y'know, gas stations are full of crazy stuff. So, hopefully this one," Clementine added in. Aasim's eyes were dull, he was most certainly unamused by the duo.

"You two can give it a shot, but don't get your hopes up."

Well that was helpful. Brody and Clementine shared an annoyed glance before splitting up in search of their items. Clementine browsed the isles for flour. She was worried about Brody, when the effects of the alcohol wore off everything would hit her even harder. With the little experience Clementine had with relationships, she wouldn't even be able to fathom what it was like to catch your significant other in the act. Clementine continued to absentmindedly look through the shelves until a white bag caught her eye.

"I found flour, Brody!" Clementine shouted across the small mart, her voice buzzed with excitement. Brody did a mini victory dance then went back to her egg hunt. Clementine started at the opposite end of the store to look for eggs.

"Gotcha!" Brody excitedly exclaimed before making eye contact with Clem, "Now let's go egg this bitch!" The girls half-jogged half-walked to the counter to check out.

"I see you found what you were looking for. So, what do you plan to do with it?" Aasim asked with a knowing smirk, "Who are you egging?"

Clementine felt Brody tense slightly beside her and took control of the conversation. "We're not "egging" anyone, we're having a late-night baking session, brownies are my favorite." Aasim still didn't seem convinced but shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh, hey, by the way, Minnie has this crazy idea to go on a road trip. Would you be interested in coming?" Brody invited the boy, fishing through her purse for her wallet.

"Seriously? School starts in what, two weeks? Don't you think it's a little short notice?" The boy rolled his eyes while ringing up the girl's items.

"I mean, maybe it could be fun," Brody shyly rebutted. Clementine could tell Brody was interested in going on the trip, despite the slim chances of the plans actually going through. She assumed it would be a good distraction for the girl. And Clem would be lying if she said she didn't want to go on a road trip with her new friends, and Louis, who was also one of her new friends!

Aasim shrugged again, and Clementine wondered why he was so cold. "Yeah, it could be, but do you actually think any of us would be able to go?"

"I-I don't know, maybe."

Aasim finished bagging their items, "Don't have too much fun now," he pushed the bag to the girls.

"We'll try," Clementine did her best to hide her mischievous smirk. The pair ran back to the car, it must have been around two in the morning and the moon was high in the night sky. Once they made it back they slid into their seats quickly, the sooner they got the task over with the better.

"Guess who's working tonight?" Brody gushed as she turned to face Ruby.

"Oh don't you get started now," Ruby batted her hand and clicked her tongue at the girl.

Clementine started the car, "Ruby likes Aasim?"

"Totally! And Aasim is like in love with her, she's the only person he's nice to!" Sophie butted in and leaned forward in her seat.

He did seem like a bitter old man when Clementine met him. But, if he made Ruby happy that was all that mattered.

"He is not in love with me!" Ruby snapped back, she'd clearly been teased a lot for her relationship with the boy. Maybe he didn't make her too happy.

"Well, do you like him?" Clementine questioned as she turned a corner, growing closer to her neighborhood by the second.

"Just as much as you like Louis," Ruby sunk in her seat with a smirk.

Clementine couldn't help but groan, hardly refraining herself from letting her head fall forward against the steering wheel. "So not at all?"

"Ruby, we all know you like him. I don't know why you don't just tell him," Violet chimed in.

"It's not that easy! There's no way he likes me, you're all just blind," The red-head huffed out, her cheeks burned the same color as her hair.

"We're blind? What's not to like about you? If he doesn't feel the same way, then he definitely doesn't deserve you!" Clementine added, shooting a quick glance at Ruby before turning her eyes back to the road. They were just outside her neighborhood, so she came to a stop. If they got caught Marlon would recognize Violet's car if they tried to run.

"Let's kick it, girls," Minnie pumped her fist, nearly punching Violet. The crew scrambled out of the car, Brody holding the eggs and Ruby the flour. Clementine could feel the nerves bubbling in the pit of her stomach, if Lee found out she was out almost all night she would be dead. Especially if he knew she went to a party where all her friends were drinking, then she went to a boy's house, laid in said boy's bed, then egged (and floured) their neighbor's car. Clementine peered across the street at her house while Brody gently cracked an egg on the bumper of Marlon's car.

"What are you doing?" Minnie whisper-shouted, throwing her arms up.

"I don't wanna break his window or anything," the girl in question looked at the ground as she spoke.

"Bullshit. Do it like this," Violet said then chucked an egg at Marlon's car. It splattered across the back window.

Drunken laughter bubbled out of Sophie while she slammed an egg against the windshield, "That's for hurting my friend, dickwad!"

Eventually, all the girls joined in, trying to contain their laughter so they wouldn't wake up anyone inside Marlon's house. Their attempts were often fruitless and just let to even more laughter. Taking handfuls of flour, the girls tossed the light substance all over the surface of his car. The flour rebounded off the car in large clouds, small flakes coating their clothing. No one seemed to mind because their laughter continued without a hitch.

That was until the light outside of Marlon's house switched on.

Violet was the first to notice, the others were too lost in revenge. "Shit, run!" The girl took off, grabbing Minerva's arm on her way.

"Oh crap-balls!" Sophie quickly followed her sister, while Ruby and Clementine grabbed onto Brody and dragged her along.

"Wait! We can't just leave the packages, Marlon is friends with Aasim! He'll totally nark on us!" Brody began to panic. Clementine let go of Brody and sprinted towards their trash. She ran in the opposite direction of the car. Barely rounding the corner before she heard Marlon's shouts.

"Get back here, you asshole!" the pounding of his feet on the pavement could be heard from a mile away. Clementine could see the car just a bit further up the street, but Marlon was coming onto her fast.

She watched as Minnie shoved Violet into the back seat and dragged Sophie in behind her. "Hurry, we're about to get out asses beat!" Minerva shouted out the back door before slamming it shut.

Clementine didn't stop running until she made it to the car, literally jumping in and shoving the key into the ignition. Much to Clementine's relief, the remaining duo slid into the front seat, not even having enough time to shut the door before Clementine stepped on the gas.

Sophie peeked out the rear window, "I can't believe we did that. I can't believe he almost caught us," she pulled her long hair off her neck and loosely held it in a ponytail, panting. "But, we made it!"

"Damn right we did!" Minnie shouted then shook Brody's shoulders. The trio in the front was still trying to catch their breath from their last-minute run. Clementine worried about the possible repercussions, but could only think about making it back to Sophie's house and eating some fresh chocolate chip cookies. Ruby closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door. It was clear she felt the same way as Clementine.

"How about we celebrate with some good old fashion movies and junk food?" Clementine spoke gleefully. Despite her exhaustion, she was still having a good time.

"That sounds wonderful Clem," Brody smiled at the driver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I mentioned before, I made a Spotify playlist that I often write to! Here's the link for my lovely, amazing, spectacular readers!!  
> spotify:playlist:4zcmcQEo8Qk8F86UBeEjs0


	9. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters 1-3 have been revamped! So if you're interested in re-reading those you can, nothing significant changed. They're just a bit longer and slightly more detailed!

A beam of mid-morning sunlight beating down on Clementine's eyes stirred her from her easy slumber on Sophie's floor. The girl slowly sat up to take in the scene, she was surrounded by her friends who were fast asleep. Everyone passed out practically as soon as they turned on the movie. Clem picked up a stray cookie laying on the baking sheet next to her head and tore off a small chunk to stuff in her mouth. Sophie was snuggled up next to Clementine's legs on her right side, and to her left Ruby was curled into a ball with her arms wrapped around Brody's torso. Violet and Minnie were wrapped closely together in each other's arms on Minerva's bed.

Clementine was careful not to wake her friends as she turned on her phone to see if she received any new messages. There was yet another spam from Sarah, a good morning text from Lee, and one new message request. The events of last night hit her like a truck. If Marlon saw her running away it would be all her fault that they got busted. Unless he felt a smidge of remorse for his actions, or there was always the slight possibility that he didn't see them drive away.

Unlocking her phone nervously, Clementine almost couldn't look when she tapped on the message request. What if it was Marlon texting her to tell her that he caught them? A lump grew in her throat.

not_blue_lou has requested to send you a private message.

A deep sigh of relief escaped Clem's mouth, and her body relaxed. But what if Louis was only texting her to tell her Marlon knew they did it, and he was on his way to her house to tell Lee what she was doing last night? Okay, she didn't really do anything that bad. Actually... if she were to do that at home she would be grounded until she moved out. She noticed her shoulders tensed again and forced herself to accept his message before she could panic further.

_**not_blue_lou:** Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for bringing me home last night, and staying with me until I passed out_

_**not_blue_lou:** Also, do you know how long it took me to find you on here? I must've been looking for like 10 minutes, you could at least use a pic of yourself as your pfp_

The negative thoughts plaguing her quickly dispersed from her mind. Any anxiety in her body was replaced by a comforting warmth, she quickly tapped out a reply.

_**clem.ev:** Sorry, I didn't realize people were going to be hunting me down on social media anytime soon, and no problem_

_**not_blue_lou:** Glad to hear you got home safe, but I don't know if I'll be able to forgive you unless you let me follow you_

_**clem.ev:** I don't know, my dad doesn't like randos following me online_

_**not_blue_lou:** Randos? What did I do to deserve that title?_

_**clem.ev:** Exist_

_**not_blue_lou:** Ouch Clem_

_**clem.ev:** How are u feeling?_

_**not_blue_lou:** Awww are you worried about me?_

_**clem.ev:** Bye !_

_**not_blue_lou:** Ok ok I'm fine, just hungover as hell_

_**clem.ev:** Eat some bread or something, I think that's supposed to help?_

A stirring to her right caused Clementine's head to snap back up. Sophie had pushed herself up onto her elbows, her eyes were barely open. Clementine wondered how someone could get so incredibly drunk, sleep on a floor, then still wake up looking like a model. She waited patiently for her red-headed friend to acknowledge her, but when she did it wasn't the reaction she was expecting. Sophie immediately burst into laughter, startling Clementine and causing some of the other girls to groan mindlessly.

"Clem, your hair is all over the place!" She somehow managed to fit in between her howls. Clementine couldn't help but join the girl after she looked in the mirror across the room. Her hair was completely flat on one side from sleeping on the floor, the other stuck up in a million different directions.

"And here I was thinking about how you look like a princess in the mornings," Clem jokingly rolled her eyes at her friend.

"I feel like I just got hit by a van, then a bus, then a train, then an airplane, then a spaceship." Sophie exaggerated as she sat up and leaned her back against her bed. "What time is it?"

Clementine checked her phone, smiling at a new message from Louis. "Like 11:30, would it be bad to say that's the best I've slept in a long time?"

"Hmm, maybe. Considering you were sleeping in a cramped room, on the floor." the red-head softly smiled as she dropped a handful of m&ms into her mouth. "Are you gonna try to go on the trip?" It caught Clementine a bit off guard, she figured Minnie's drunken proposal would be forgotten about.

"I guess so, I probably won't be able to. But I guess there's no harm in trying?" Clem shrugged. Her chances of going were slim to none, but it would be rude not to ask. And an end of summer trip with her new friends didn't sound too bad. Clementine shoved her feelings of excitement about the trip deep to the back of her train of thought, she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"My parents might let us go. Especially if Minnie and I promise to stick together. You know, the whole buddy system thing."

"The buddy system is a very serious topic, never joke about it," Clementine jokingly scolded while pointing a finger at Sophie. Her phone buzzed in her lap, she ignored it and hoped that Sophie wouldn't ask any questions. But this was Sophie she was talking about.

"Aren't you gonna check that?"

"Oh, it's probably nothing," Clementine turned on her phone revealing another text from Louis, just as she suspected. She mindlessly smiled lightly.

"So?" Sophie raised her eyebrows, waiting for a response.

"It's only Louis, he's just thanking me for last night."

The girl smirked at Clementine, "Just thanking you huh? Why don't you invite him on the road trip while you're at it."

"I-if you guys want me to," her heart skipped a beat at the idea of Louis joining them.

"Well someone has to do it, and you just so happen to be in the middle of a conversation with him," she spoke in a somewhat suggestive tone, then winked when her sentence came to an end. Clementine's face deadpanned, glaring at the girl.

"Okay, I'll tell him," this earned Clementine a squeal out of Sophie as she clapped her hands, which caused Ruby to shoot up into a sitting position. Causing a chain reaction to channel over to Brody who immediately turned towards the girls with a huff, her eyes were still shut. Minnie and Violet hardly shifted seeing as they were the furthest away from Sophie, and both deeply wrapped within one another. Ruby did nothing but sit stiffly for a few seconds until she looked to Sophie and glared. She must have been the light sleeper of the group.

"I know Clementine wasn't the one causing a ruckus, so you'd better have a good reason why you woke me up," her southern accent was thick with sleep.

"Louis texted Clementine, and she's gonna invite him on the road trip," Sophie giggled out, she was rewarded with a glare from both of the girls. "What? This is exciting!"

Brody responded with a groan and turned away from the group, pulling a pillow over her head. Clementine couldn't tell if she was awake, either way, she didn't want to test her luck.

Ruby clicked her tongue, "You heard the girl, last night she told us nothin' was going on. Now, we're going to respect that until she tells us anything else on the matter."

"Thank you, Ruby," Clementine smiled gratefully at her fellow curly-haired friend. The red-heads fell into a quiet conversation while Clem replied to Louis.

_**not_blue_lou:** I'm drinking coffee instead, thanks for the aspirin_

_**not_blue_lou:** Marlon just called, his car got trashed last night, I'm heading over so I guess I'll see you when I get there ;)_

_**clem.ev:** I'm actually at Sophie's right now, but I'll be home soon_

_**clem.ev:** We're thinking about going on a road trip, they asked me to invite u_

_**clem.ev:** None of us know if we can go or not though_

"Louis is going to Marlon's to help with his car," Clem butted into the conversation, not even taking the time to acknowledge what they were talking about prior.

"Do you think he knows it was us?" Sophie's eyebrows knitted together in concern. Trying to reassure the girl, despite the chill that went down her spine, Clementine shrugged.

"Let's hope not, and if he does, maybe he'll forgive us," her phone buzzed again during her statement. It wasn't Louis, this time it was Lee.

_**Dad:** What time do you want me to get you?_

_**Clementine:** I'll ask Sophie_

_**Dad:** Alright, did you have fun?_

_**Clementine:** Yeah, everyone is fantastic :)_

When Clementine looked up from her phone she realized Violet was perched on the edge of Minnie's bed. The bags under her eyes were darker than usual.

"What about you Vi, are you going to try to come?" Sophie questioned as she popped more m&ms in her mouth.

"I guess, my grandma probably won't care," Violet grumbled while she unwrapped a starburst, she definitely wasn't a morning person.

"Say we can go. Then how are we supposed to pay for it?" Ruby butted in.

"We can sleep in our cars," the suggestion that came from Sophie fell short of their standards.

"We're going to have to pay for motel rooms. Where would we even go?" Violet spoke through her chews.

"Not to mention gas and food," Clementine contributed, "Also Lee wants to know when to come get me."

"Oh, we can take you home," Sophie replied quickly, so she could jump back into the conversation.

"Good question Vi," Ruby shot a questioning stare at Sophie, "Where are we going?"

"Only Minnie would know, and I don't think she plans on waking up anytime soon," Sophie shrugged, presumably unwilling to wake her sister.

Clementine: Sophie said they can take me home

Lee: Okay Sweetpea, make sure they drive safely.

Clementine: I'll do my best.

If only Lee knew the way she was driving just hours ago. Brody turned over to face Sophie.

"How long would we be gone?" Brody groggily asked.

"Guys I know you've probably heard lots of conspiracies on twin-telepathy, but I can't read her mind." Sophie defensively put her hands up.

"Y'know we could be planning right now if Minnie were awake," Ruby tossed a pillow at Minnie, her attempt to wake the girl was to no avail.

Clem shrugged, "We could just throw pillows at her until she wakes up?" she threw her pillow at Minerva next a few seconds after nobody reacted.

Sitting up for the first time, Brody chucked her pillow at Minnie. Finally causing her to stir at the hard hit.

"Ugh, what the fuck," Minnie practically gurgled, it came out as more of a statement than a question. She wrapped her arms protectively around her head to block out any light or sound.

"We're trying to plan the trip sugar. If you want any of us to go then we need a solid plan," the convincing statement came from Ruby, of course.

"Okay, just give me a minute," the freshly awaken girl rubbed her sleepy eyes and pushed herself forward into a slouch.

The room fell silent while everyone waited on Minnie, the only sounds filling the space was chewing. Then Clementine's phone buzzed again.

_**not_blue_lou:** A road trip, with my favorite girls? Very tempting_

_**not_blue_lou:** Marlon is pissed_

_**clem.ev:** Did he see who did it?_

"We should move this to my place. It'd be more satisfying to spy on Marlon while he scrubs his car than watch Minnie to wake up," suggested Clementine with a maniacal smirk.

"Ooooh yeah! What do you think Brody?" Yet another burst of energy came from Sophie.

"I think I'm already standing up and walking out the door!" Brody excitedly exclaimed, although her voice hinted at a deeper feeling of sadness. She wondered if it was a good idea for Brody to see Marlon so soon after the events of last night. Sympathy washed over Clementine as she worried about what would happen when Brody got home. She would probably break down without distractions, just as she was the night before when Clementine found her alone.

"Just let me ask Lee real quick," Clementine swiped open her phone again to request more time with her friends.

_**Clementine:** Would it be okay if everyone came over?_

_**Dad:** Oh boy, how many people are we talking about?_

_**Clementine:** How is five?_

_**Dad:** Okay, but you better be good, I've got some errands to run._

_**Clementine:** Thank you, Lee, I love you!_

_**Dad:** I love you too, Sweetpea._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter was super slow because it was so hard to write. This wasn't my original plan for the chapter but I didn't really know how to cut it off. Oh well, enjoy some more girl time! I promise Louis will be in the next chapter my loves!


	10. Blonde Pandemonium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No revamps for this release, unfortunately :(  
> But expect chapters 4 and 5 to be all spruced up by the next update!

The girls pulled up to Clementine's house, Lee's car was already gone, and AJ was presumably with him. Clem looked around at her friends, Violet was finally sober enough to drive her own car. Everyone was still in their pajamas, which is when Clementine realized a daunting truth. They were all covered in flour still. She felt the air being sucked from her lungs when she looked across the street and Marlon was watching their car, Louis was out of sight.

"Guys, don't panic," Violet and Minnie turned around, eyes wide as they stared at Clementine.

"What's wrong hun'?" Ruby's eyebrows furrowed, looking just as confused as the rest of her friends.

"Our clothes may still be covered in flour," Clementine dragged her sentence out. "And Marlon knows we're here, as a matter of fact, he's staring right at us." Brody's eyes instantly shot back, at her (ex?) boyfriend, causing Ruby to grab the girl's chin and force her face forward again.

"I might have some spare clothes in here somewhere," Violet's voice barely hinted at her distress. Everyone began to dig around under the seats until they scrounged together a hoodie and some spandex shorts. Maybe she played volleyball?

"One of us needs to distract him," Clem said with finality, "I'll get the rest of us in."

"So? Who's it gonna be?" Minnie questioned, slightly shaking her head. The car went silent, it couldn't be Brody, Clem, or Ruby. Clem and Brody both had afflictions, and Ruby was just a bit curvier than Violet.

"They're my clothes, and I'm a bitch so I'll just go taunt that fucker for a few minutes," rolling her eyes as she spoke, Violet sunk into her seat and began to quickly change. Clem readied her keys so she could make a run to the house.

"You guys stay in here until I wave you over, okay?" keys in hand, Clementine opened her door immediately after Violet shut hers. The two walked in opposite directions, Violet's walk was nonchalant and rough, while Clementine rushed to her house.

The key slid in and turned smoothly in contrast to the loud background noise of Violet shouting at Marlon. Clementine turned back to the car and waved her hand, it burst with life as everyone swiftly jumped out of the car and ran into Clem's house.

"It was a mistake okay! I was drunk and she was just dancing so close, I couldn't help it!" Marlon's voice rang out from across the street.

"If you loved her you wouldn't have even thought about doing anything with another girl!" Although Marlon was vicious with his words, Violet's were fueled with anger. Clementine thought it was best to leave Violet for a few minutes while she changed so she could back up the blonde girl.

"Come on, I'll show you my room. I have a great view of Marlon's house, so everyone can enjoy the show." Clem turned from the door and began to walk up the stairs.

"In other words, you have a perfect view of Louis whenever he's over," Sophie smirked. It took every fiber of Clementine's being not to huff at the statement, so instead, she silently rolled her eyes. "You're not denying it."

"Once again, I've only known him for a few days. And there's no time for this right now! I need to get back outside before Vi rips Marlon's head off," Clem wished she could call her words an exaggeration, but she wasn't so sure that she could. They made it to Clementine's room in mere seconds, she instantly walked to her dresser and pulled out a dress.

"You've got a real nice room, Clem," a familiar thick accent spoke.

"Thanks, I haven't had the chance to mess it up yet," Clementine smiled at Ruby while she quickly changed into the dress. The exchange between Violet and Marlon continued outside, only growing louder. Minerva stalked over to Clem's window and quietly pushed it open so they could hear better.

"You better hurry, Vi is red as a strawberry in summer," Ruby's voice was concerned, yet amused.

"I'm going now, I'll do my best to break it up." She tugged her curls into a bun so Marlon couldn't antagonize her over something as irrelevant as her hair. Clem couldn't shake the feeling of worry as she ran down the stairs, there was no way it hadn't at least crossed his mind that the girl's were the cause of his messy car. Shoving the front door open, Clem jogged to the source of the shouts.

"Oh great, now we've got 'little miss orange' sticking her nose where it doesn't belong!" Marlon barked out as she approached the pair.

"Love thy neighbor Marlon, and I'm only here to make sure Violet doesn't gauge your eyes out," her glare was spine-chilling. "But maybe she should, considering what happened last night."

"For the last time, it didn't mean anything!"

"You wouldn't cheat on her if you cared about her!" The hatred in Violet's voice spiked. Her hands were balled into fists at her sides.

"Don't act so innocent! I know you were the ones that trashed my car!"

"Why would we waste our time on you?" Violet spat out.

"Who else would do something like this?" His entire face boiled with rage, Clem swore she saw steam blowing from his ears.

"It's not even that bad! Just wash it off!" Clementine interjected. "Maybe that girl you were ten seconds away from banging had a boyfriend? Ever think of that?"

"Whatever! At least it finally got Brody off my ass!" She wished he regretted his words when they came out of his mouth, but she knew he didn't. Violet lunged at him, Clem barely caught her before she jumped him.

"Let go of me! I'm gonna kill you! Rat-bastard!" Her screams could probably be heard from streets away. She thrashed in Clementine's arms, swinging her legs at the boy.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Marlon's bad attitude was seriously killing Louis' vibe. If he wasn't his best friend he would have left a long time ago, Louis knew what Marlon did was wrong. But he also knew that Marlon was going to need his help, and he couldn't risk fighting with him. If he wasn't talking to Marlon then he'd have to stay home by himself, or find a new friend that could stand him for days on end. So when he told Marlon he had to "pee", he ended up grabbing a snack and sitting in the bathroom until he was done.

He was halfway through his second pop tart when he heard screams from outside. It took him a second to react, he figured it was just some kids from down the block. But these screams didn't sound like kids playing tag, they sounded angry. He knew the difference between happiness and aggravation, enraged shouts were all too familiar to Louis, he practically grew up on them. So instead of enjoying his snack, the freckled boy ran outside, pop tart in hand of course.

"Vi stop! You don't want him to file assault charges!" The shout came from his darling, he would have smiled if it weren't for the scene unfolding in front of him. Violet was fighting against the restraints Clementine held around her, Marlon hadn't moved an inch since he walked outside. He looked like he was hiding a smile. Four girlish heads pushed for a good spot to see the drama on the streets inside of Clem's room. "Louis! Don't just stand there!"

His reaction time was a bit delayed but he jogged to Vi in an attempt to calm her down. "You're only going to hurt yourself if you swing at him first Vi," Louis positioned himself in front of Marlon. Slightly reducing Violet's pull on Clementine.

She stopped struggling and whipped herself away from the curly-haired girl, "He doesn't care that he cheated on Brody! He's just a lying fuck-face!"

"Beat his ass Vi!" Minnie shouted from Clem's room, which only seemed to enrage her girlfriend even more. Clementine just looked uncomfortable, she hugged her arms around herself. Clearly out of place when she was stuck between her friend and her neighbor. She avoided Marlon's gaze and continued to look between Violet and himself.

Violet stared daggers at Marlon, "You're fucking lucky Clementine came out here when she did, or you'd be nothing but pulp." She stared at his best friend for a second before literally spitting out a final warning at his feet. "You better not even bother speaking to Brody as long as I'm around, no let me rephrase that. Don't you dare think about her!"

She turned roughly before storming away towards Clementine's house, Clem spared one last distraught look at Louis before she followed Violet. Despite her untamed bun and backward dress, she was still beautiful.

* * *

It took a while to scrub the mess of eggs and flour off of Marlon's car. He found himself looking at Clem's window often, met with a pair of eyes each time. Unfortunately for him, they weren't always Clementine's. He kicked himself for losing himself in her so fast, but he was yet to discover any of her flaws.

While he lost himself in her, he also found himself thinking about ways to get closer to the girl. Not all were practical, at least not for knowing her for under a week. He could do nothing but hope that their road trip plans would pull through so he could spend some more time with her. His 'crush' really settled in the night before when she stayed with him even though she could have been with her friends, or doing a million other different, better things.

She was bold, caring, and cautious all at the same time, then so much more of course. It was hard not to admire her in the short amount of time he'd known her. His thoughts forced his eyes back up to her window, she was there this time, and she was looking at him. A comfortable smile played at her lips. Everything she did was soft and graceful.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

It took quite some time from Minnie, and reassurance from Brody for Violet to finally calm down. Once her temperament went back to usual they chiseled out a rough outline of their trip. With the plans set into motion, now all they had to do was talk to their parents or guardians. The girls added Clementine to their group chat and began to say their goodbyes. Before her friends left Clem was sure to give Brody an extra tight squeeze. She watched as they piled back into Violet's car, shouting and waving goodbye while they faded into the distance.

Her exhaustion hit her at full force when the rest of the group was gone. Clem shut the front door and walked back upstairs, making a beeline for her bed. She slipped off her dress, leaving herself in only her undergarments. Despite the warm air, Clementine felt considerably cooler. It was just past three o'clock, so maybe a quick power nap would do. But that was before she turned on something random on Netflix and drifted off.

* * *

A light tapping against her window brought Clementine to her senses. At first, she thought it was rain but when there were long pauses between the knocks, Clem concluded that it was something else. Stumbling out of bed, she slipped a t-shirt and comfy shorts on before approaching the window. Moonlight euphorically glowed into her room, it must have been past ten considering the sun fully sets around nine during summer.

There he stood, dreads swinging while he looked for another pebble to toss. The moon left a dreamy halo around him as he turned back around, arm ready to toss the tiny stone before he spotted her form staring down at him. His arms fell to his sides, a sweet smile formed on his lips. She opened her window and leaned forward to get a better view of the boy.

"I know this whole rock on the window thing worked for Romeo, but we also both know how that story ended." A playful grin grew on her face.

"I'm glad I finally got your attention, Juliet. Now how about you come down here?" He shook a plastic bag that he was holding in his hand.

Clementine raised an eyebrow, unmoving. "How do I know you're not going to try to kidnap me, or kill me?"

"You came to my house last night, let me lead you into my bedroom, then you laid in my bed with me. But you think I'm going to kill you now?"

"Touche, I'll be down in a minute."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my lovely readers, I'm going to try to upload two times during the week from now on! Once throughout Monday-Thursday, then again between Friday-Sunday. I could upload more but that just gives you guys a rough idea of my schedule!  
> Thank you so much for your support!


	11. Delightful Rendezvous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis and Clementine spend some quality alone time together!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 is revamped! I added some extra bits so I would recommend reading it!

**Louis' POV**

Louis anxiously waited for Clementine to come outside. Why was he so nervous? All he wanted to do was pay her back for bringing him home. His eyes snapped up when her front door faintly creaked open, she was all decked out in a t-shirt and basketball shorts. Her curls were far messier than usual, doing nothing but accentuating her beauty. Clem swiveled to face him when the door clicked shut.

"What's up Freckles?" Clem smirked at his nickname, and he couldn't hold back his toothy grin. He was just about to reply when she began to giggle, it was music to his ears. "Are you missing a tooth?" He suddenly felt a rush of embarrassment surge in his brain.

His hand instinctively shot up to his mouth as a cover, "No! Maybe," he frowned. This was not how he saw their interaction going.

"Let me see!" She exclaimed giddily, lightly pulling his hand away from his face. He continued to frown. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Louis."

A subdued smile bounced onto his lips at the sound of his name exiting her mouth. "Okay, but you can't laugh!"

"No promises," her grin never faltered, especially when he opened his mouth to expose his missing tooth. He appreciated the way she held up her end of the bargain. "How'd you lose it?"

"So there I was, fighting with this bear! When all of the sud-"

"The REAL story, Louis," she cut him off midsentence.

"I was getting to that!" Clementine rolled her eyes at his false statement, "I was riding my bike, right? When that bear just came out of nowhere and started chasing me! It started swinging at me, but it missed and hit my bike instead. I barely made it out alive."

"So to make a long story short, you fell off your bike a couple of years ago. After you had braces, of course, otherwise your teeth would be all jacked up." She seemed satisfied with herself as she finished her sentence. Louis was mildly impressed at how spot-on she was.

"Or that, but who really knows the whole story?"

"I'd hope you would," her smooth laughter rang out, flooding Louis' ears with the gleeful sound.

"All of that is beside the point, I brought your favorite! The fruity stuff! You know, because you brought me home. So I just wanted to thank you," He smiled tenderly at the girl.

"Louis, you've already thanked me. I was just doing what any friend would do," his heart fluttered gently at her words.

"Nobody usually brings me home. Most of the time I have to walk," a pained laugh rippled through his chest. Louis recognized the troubled expression that flashed across her face. "Anyways, I figured I would give you a symbol of my gratitude!" He handed the grocery bag over to Clem. She took a peek inside.

"Louis this is way too much," she plucked out a single pack and handed the rest back to him.

"Then we'll share," yet another toothy grin reflected on his face.

"Okay, but I'm not dealing with sick Louis again," Clementine took a seat on one of the steps of her deck.

"Me? Sick? I have an iron stomach, Clem." He bluffed.

"For some reason, I find that hard to believe."

"Alright, you've got me. But I can still eat a lot!"

"You don't look like it."

"Okay, you've got me again! Let's just get down to business."

* * *

**Clem's POV**

Clementine cherished Louis' smiles. Each one lit up in a different way than the last, somehow she'd never noticed his missing tooth before. She felt unusually comfortable around him, his joyous energy was more contagious than the flu. There was never the feeling of unease, or having to spill her secrets to the boy, their conversations were usually light-hearted. Although Clementine could tell their fresh friendship would grow into a deeper connection, likely platonic.

"What's your last name?" Louis inquired. He'd been asking trivial questions all night, 'what's your favorite animal?', 'what's your zodiac sign?', and so forth.

"Everett, what about yours?" But she wasn't innocent, she'd just been bouncing back with her own. It was like twenty-one questions but in the form of a conversation. Not to mention they'd already asked way more than twenty-one questions.

"Sinclair," He popped a gummy bear into his mouth at the end of his answer.

"It suits you," Categorizing Louis in her mind was a difficult task. She'd never expected him with his baggy clothes and missing tooth to be living in a mansion. He mixed himself between the two worlds effortlessly, even in his drunken state he was fantastic at playing the piano. "How long have you and Marlon been friends?"

"God, since elementary school. Believe it or not, the kids hated me there. Which is totally uncalled for considering I've always been such an angel," he sarcastically smiled at Clementine. "He was probably the only person who didn't wanna make fun of me for things I couldn't control. It was always something with them, the freckles, the color of my skin, my dashing personality. Sometimes it still happens but not as bad, I think I have more fans than haters now," his smile faltered a bit, blended with woe. Clementine rocked towards him, bumping her shoulder into his.

"I think you're pretty great Lou," She sincerely grinned at the boy, his eyes gleamed in the moonlight. He was adorable, but also charmingly handsome. His soft, yet sharp, jawline and sweet smiles contrasted just like his personality and his hobby. Oh boy, what was she getting herself into? She hadn't been in a relationship for over two years, maybe because the last one left off on a bad note. Not to mention their entire bond was bitter, her ex left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Likewise, my darling," he threw her a wink. But if he kept acting like that she was bound to catch a case. Louis reached into the grocery bag again. They'd already plowed through two bags of candy, and the night air was beginning to slowly chill. Clementine subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself.

"Here take my hoodie," he forced as he began to pull his sweatshirts over his head.

"No, that's okay I don't want you to get cold," she tugged the bottom of his sweatshirt down until his dreads reappeared.

"It's too hot anyway, just take it!" His voice was muffled by the fabric covering his face. She knew he was bluffing, but there was something that made her hold her protests.

"Fine, but you better not complain when you get cold," Louis pulled the hoodie over his head and handed it to his curly-haired friend.

"You know me too well. But I'm still going to complain," he smirked while she heaved his hoodie over her petite form. It smelled nice and the warmth brought her a comforting feeling.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Louis tried not to think too hard about how cute Clementine looked in his baggy hoody. Especially when she flipped up the hood to allow nothing but a few coils of her hair to slip out. Maybe he wouldn't be complaining about the temperature anytime soon.

"Okay, time to dig deeper. What's your greatest fear?" He asked lightly, egging on for his silly answer. His grin began to fade when she visible stiffened, her arms wrapped around herself like the time they met at the swimming hole.

"Losing someone I love," that's when his face dropped completely. Her entire disposition changed with a single question.

"I- uh I meant like spiders and heights," he frowned deeply. "I was going to say clowns because I am one. But I guess my greatest fear is hurting people."

Clementine perked up a bit, flashing a glimpse of her stunning smile. "Well, in that case, I have to say mine is the dark, or dogs." She looked back up when Louis laughed.

"Why dogs? Why the dark?" His grin never left his face, even when Clem began to shake her head.

"I had a bad run-in with a dog once! Now they all just scare me."

"Even chihuahuas?"

"Especially chihuahuas!" Her laughter was like listening to his favorite song for the first time. There was something he just had to ask.

"So, uh, have you ever, um, had a boyfriend?" He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. His question caught her off guard yet again.

"Yeah, a couple, and a girlfriend," she was clearly waiting for some sort of reaction out of him.

"I've had a couple girlfriends myself," he leaned his head closer to the girl, a grin slapped across his face.

"I'd hope so, we're going to be seniors," she smiled back at him.

"Which leads us to our next topic, what's the plan for our last bang?" Clementine gave him a questioning look. "The road trip!"

"Oh, Minnie wants to go to Florida for a couple days, to 'get her swim on'." She exaggerated her friend's words.

"Ugh, I hate Florida! Haven't you seen all of those 'Florida man' news articles? Besides, there's no way I'm swimming, they have sharks there. Did you know that?"

"Something tells me you lied when you said your biggest fear was clowns. I think it's actually sharks!" She raised her hands into claws, humorously trying to scare him. He felt his cheeks flare, she was going to be the death of him.

"You got me, Clem, it's true," he lifted his hands in a joking defense. "Who do you plan on taking on this little trip?"

"I don't know, they mentioned something about taking 'the boys'. But I don't know who they are, aside from you, Marlon, and that guy at the gas station," she leaned her head sleepily on her shoulder.

"I take it Marlon isn't invited?" He tried to be as nonchalant as possible, but he knew it was going to hurt Marlon if he went without him.

"I don't think so Lou. I'm sorry, I mean I don't know anything about Brody and Marlon's relationship. But I'm pretty sure they'd rather have her there than him." She sympathetically squeezed his arm. He responded with a smile.

"What he did was wrong," he glanced up at Clementine, gingerly laying his hand on the one she already had placed on his arm. "He's my best friend, I know he has a lot of flaws. But sometimes he makes mistakes that are hard to forgive. Marlon is impulsive, and he's just so angry at the world, at everything."

"He's lucky to have you, I just hope he appreciates you as much as you deserve" her words were genuine and kind. She stole a piece of his heart every time she spoke.

"There's something I've gotta ask, and I promise I won't tell. Did you guys egg his car?" The speculation had been nagging at him all day. Clementine appeared to be deep in thought, which seemed to affirm his question.

"You won't tell Marlon?" He nodded his head, "Okay, we did it. Now, if you break this promise he's gonna come for me first, got it? I'm right across the street, all he has to do is walk like fifty feet in order to tell Lee." Louis noted the way he called her dad 'Lee' during conversations.

"A promise is a promise, princess," she rolled her eyes at the nickname. He knew she loved it, deep deep deep down.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

They'd gotten noticeably closer as their visit dragged on. At this point, they stopped eating the candy, and his hand remained tenderly laid on top of hers. He was usually the one carrying the conversation, but there was never a moment where they didn't have something to talk about.

The moon slowly rose higher into the sky, and Clementine realized how long the pair had likely been out there. She was lucky Lee was asleep or else he would have been checking on them every two minutes. Not that they were doing anything wrong, they were just talking about the road trip. She filled him in on Minnie's entire plan, waiting for him to suddenly pull away from her touch. He deceived her when he never did.

"We were thinking about going camping the first night, that is if we can find a spot. But that also comes with a lot of unnecessary packing," she carried on, making small gestures with her free hand.

"Unnecessary packing, but very necessary smores," he grinned, leaning closer to her for a split second to emphasize his point. Making smores by the campfire with Louis didn't seem too bad, even if it meant a cold night in a tent. That is if Lee would let her go.

"I guess you might be right about that," smiling mindlessly at the boy. Unfortunately, their time together was cut short by the sound of Marlon's front door swinging open. Clementine's hand immediately jerked off of Louis' arm landing back onto the safety of her lap. Louis scooted away from the girl at the loss of contact.

"There you are, I've been wondering why you've been gone for so long," Marlon's voice was just below a shout as he began to make his way across the street to the pair. He stopped before reaching Clementine's driveway, seeming mildly conflicted. Her freckled friend stood up and bounced down the steps they were previously sitting on together.

"Yeah, sorry I just lost track of time. I was just about to head back over," Louis plastered a faux smile on his lips before turning back to Clementine. "I'll see you around, Clem." With that, he left with his mulleted friend. She collected the leftover sweets in her arms before walking back to the entrance of her humble abode. Allowing herself a double-take at the dread-headed boy with his delightful smiles before walking inside, shutting the door on their encounter to wait patiently for their next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your support <3
> 
> A Newfound Home on Spotify:  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4zcmcQEo8Qk8F86UBeEjs0?si=cUnIdNzsQiW66ALvGj1mNA


	12. Arrangements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clementine asks Lee her burning question, while Louis visits an old friend.

After her meeting with Louis, Clementine made her way back upstairs and into her bed. Despite sleeping for half the day she was still worn out from her eventful week. She had a difficult time reaching the slumber point due to her racing mind, where she was brainstorming ways to convince Lee to let her go on the trip. He would likely have his own standards for her to meet, before, during, and after her journey. It was probably best she didn't think too far into it before she asked her dad.

Her eyelids drooped heavily while she dozed off, nearly certain she wouldn't be interrupted by a specific freckled boy. However, his long, slender fingers plagued her dreams. Gently running over the piano keys while she occupied the seat next to him.

* * *

Ruckus from downstairs drew her out of her dormancy, Clementine would bet money that it was AJ blasting his video games for the entire house to hear. Either that or Disco Brocolli, he was obsessed with the TV. She dragged herself out of bed to greet her family that she hadn't seen for the past two days. They barely missed each other, by the time they came home Clementine was long gone in the land of sleep. Then when she was talking to Louis their roles were reversed.

Just as she predicted, the first thing she saw when she entered the living room was AJ on the couch. Watching none other than Disco Brocolli, that show was timeless. And Lee was frantically running around, gathering random objects in his arms.

"Oh, there you are Sweetpea!" Her father walked over and placed a chaste kiss on her temple. "As great as it is to see you, I have a meeting. Which I'm going to be late to if I don't leave now," He continued to rush around picking up stray papers and packing them into his bag.

"Oh okay, good luck!" The nerves began to build-up in her chest while she imagined the different ways their interaction would go later. Asking him while he was preparing to leave didn't seem like a very good idea.

"Is everything alright?" He stopped in his tracks for a moment, allowing her time to respond.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about something when you get home." She fiddled absentmindedly with the hem of her shirt.

"Sounds important, I can spare a minute if you need," his body language told Clem a completely different story.

"Don't worry, it can wait! Now go, before you're late. That wouldn't look too good," she smiled reassuringly at him before ushering him out the door.

"Hey, when'd you get that?" Lee gestured to Louis' hoodie that was draped over Clementine's figure. A faint blush coated her cheeks at the smell of Louis' cologne. It wasn't her intention to take it, but he left in such a rush. She was going to have a formulate some sort of plan to get it back to him without raising too many heads. Speaking of formulating plans, she needed to give Lee an answer.

"Oh, my friend Sophie lent it to me when I spent the night. Her room was a little cold," she fibbed smoothly.

"Okay, I'll be home around one. Be good for your sister AJ!" AJ probably didn't hear Lee over the TV, but it wasn't like he was going to do anything today. When the door shut, Clementine made her way to the kitchen to make herself a quick breakfast before joining AJ in the livingroom.

"Why did you lie to dad?" Her younger brother question, not even bothering to look away from the TV. So much for AJ not hearing them, and wasn't he supposed to be asleep last night? Who was she kidding, it was the end of summer, AJ just loved staying up late playing video games regardless of what day it was.

"What are you talking about?" She questioned, already having a good idea of how their conversation would go. Maybe she would have to bribe him?

"You didn't get that sweatshirt from Sophie. I saw Louis give it to you last night," his eyebrows furrowed slightly in thought. How much did he see? Not that anything happened, well they did get a little too cozy near the end.

"I'm surprised you remembered his name," this earned her a glare from AJ, he was waiting for an answer. "Okay, jeez, dad doesn't know that I was talking to some guy last night. And to him, me hanging out with a girl friend, and me hanging out with a guy friend are two completely different things."

"Because Louis like-likes you and Sophie doesn't?" He curiously inquired.

"No! Well, kinda. Louis doesn't like-like me, but the chances of him having a crush on me are higher than Sophie liking me," she explained carefully. AJ seemed satisfied with her answer and glued his eyes back onto the TV.

* * *

The next couple of hours passed slowly, Clementine could feel the anticipation of Lee coming home increasing by the minute in the pit of her stomach. Sophie and Minnie looked into reserving a couple of campsites for their first night and found a lot of places they could stay. Although their parents were reluctant, Minnie and Sophie were good to go. That is, if they had a place to stay every night, and slept separately from the boys. Minnie had to explain to Clementine that she hadn't come out to her parents yet, despite being proud of her sexuality, she just found it easier that way.

Trying to convince Lee she didn't have ulterior motives with half of her friends was difficult as is. But when she came out to Lee it spiked his dad senses or whatever. Now instead of asking her about the guys she was hanging out with, it was everyone he was asking about. Which wasn't a bad thing, it just meant he loved her. Speaking of girls, and boys.

Clem hadn't seen Louis all day, Marlon was missing as well. She figured it was a good thing to spend a day without her freckled companion. It would get her thoughts off of his track, out of sight out of mind. For now, she just wanted to worry about the response she would get from Lee. She'd already spent the entire day pondering different points and ideas she could present, which is why she hardly noticed Lee's car pulling up. It would be rude to bombard him right when he walked inside so she would have to wait just a little longer.

She didn't expect Lee to come up to her room for their conversation. "I'm home, what did you want to talk about?" He was concise but kind at the same time.

"Oh, uh it's kinda a shot in the dark and I'd understand if you say no," she began to play with her fingers anxiously, avoiding the topic. Oh boy, here we go.

"But I might not," shooting a reassuring smile at his daughter, trying not to reveal his nerves. Clementine built up one final wave of confidence before spitting it out.

"My friends invited me to go on a road trip with them to Florida. And I know school starts in a couple weeks but we would be back a few days before. We would also plan out where we'd be staying, then our gas and food money," The room went silent when she finished talking. Uncertainty hung around the room. Lee wore a troubled expression while he thought.

"Before I even consider letting you go, we're going to have to set a few ground rules." He stared sternly at his daughter, there would be no negotiating. "I want you to get everything you need for school ready, and I was planning on having you weed the garden soon so I want that done before you go. If I let you go."

"Okay! I can do that!" She radiated with an early joy.

"Not so fast. I want everything reserved before you go. You're too young to be staying at random grungy motels along the freeway. Then you have to make some promises I need you to keep. Understand?" Clementine nodded her head and waited for her dad to go on, "There will be absolutely no drinking or drugs on your part. No sex either! And if you decide to fool around with one of your new 'friends' you better use protection!"

"Dad, nothing is going on between me and any of my friends," She carefully rebutted, knowing she was walking on thin ice if she gave him an attitude.

"Sweetpea, I just need to know you're going to be safe. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. If your friends start drinking you can't get in the car with them behind the wheel. And if there's ever a situation where you don't feel safe, you need to get out of there. I don't care how, but I need you to put yourself above them. I know how hard you can love, but those are my conditions."

"I understand, dad. I promise I'll be safe, and you know I won't drink." Lee gave her an understanding nod before gripping his daughter in a tight hug.

"Okay. You can go," His approval was reluctant, but she passed the test!

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! We want to leave on Wednesday, but so far the only people that can go are Sophie, Minnie, Violet, and I. So we'll see how it goes with the rest of them," Clem carefully pulled away from the bearhug Lee held her in.

"Well then, that garden isn't going to weed itself," he smiled lovingly at his daughter as he walked to her door, scanning her up and down in admiration before leaving her room.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Marlon didn't serve as very good company, all he wanted to do was mope around and throw harsh words at Louis. He knew Marlon didn't mean any harm, and he was just angry. But you can only take someone's rude comments for so long. He needed a change of scenery too, so why not head to his favorite gal's house?

Once Louis arrived, he rhythmically rapped on the door, waiting for a response from the inside. The door swung open loudly, followed by a groan which echoed throughout her home.

"What are you doing here Louis?"

"Hello to you too Violet! Chipper as ever I see," Louis invited himself inside, walking past his other blonde friend. "I was at Marlon's but well, you saw how he's acting."

"I don't get why you still hang around that dickhead. He's always been an asshole, and he did nothing but prove my point when he cheated on Brody," she crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. It was a wonder she hadn't seen her brain yet, maybe that's why she rolled her eyes so much? He would roll his eyes like that if he could see his brain.

"You know why I do, Vi. But I need some good ol' fashion friendly company." Louis pleaded with the girl.

"Then you came to the wrong place. All you ever want to talk about is my relationship with Minnie. I know you're lonely but our relationship isn't open, sorry," Violet snarkily grinned at him.

"Oh stop, I know I'm your best friend, and you secretly love me." Louis retaliated with his signature suave smile.

"Not as much as you secretly love Clementine," she teased, her cynical expression never fell. How did she know about his top-secret, very lowkey crush on Clem? That was for his mind only.

"Who's Clementine?" Yeah, good job play dumb she'll never see that coming.

"Louis you asked her to give you a ride home the other night, you've been staying across the street from her since she moved in, and I know you're stupid, but even an idiot would notice her," Okay, maybe playing dumb didn't work this time. Hold on what did she say?

"Wait a minute, are you saying she's hot?" Caught red-handed Violet did nothing but stand there, emotionless.

"I didn't say that, and you didn't hear that. Capiche?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Capoosh," Louis never knew how to react to people saying 'capiche'. "And, okay I admit. I may have noticed her a couple of times. Or maybe a hundred times, possibly thousands."

"That's a little overkill, Lou. Is that the only reason you came over? You want advice on girls?" She leaned against a wall in her living room in an aloof fashion.

"No, I don't know. I kinda just wanted to get it off my chest," He flopped on her couch, thankful that her parents were never home. "I need to tell someone."

"Tell someone what?"

"I think I like her, but she just moved here. Besides, why would she like a guy like me?" Louis dramatically threw his arm over his eyes.

"Just give it time Lou, if she likes you, she likes you. And if she doesn't, then she's missing out. Just be her friend, and let her settle. Girls just want to be comfortable and cared for. We don't ask for much," Violet shrugged and moved off the wall, settling on a chair instead. Her kind demeanor always shocked Louis.

"So like a hamster? I think I can take care of that."

"Louis?"

"Yeah?"

"Never compare girls to hamsters again."

"Will do, Vi."

* * *

**Clem's POV**

Since her interaction with Lee went a lot smoother than she expected, Clementine found plenty of time to get started on the garden. Although she wasn't born with a green thumb, she could still pull up some weeds. Lee wasn't much of a gardener either, but she figured he still wanted their backyard to look nice. Clem hummed random tunes while she weeded. Everything was happening so fast, but she was grateful for what life threw at her.

If AJ didn't convince her to bring him to the park, she never would have met her new friends. Although they were tight-knit, they still made space for her. Welcoming her with open arms at that. Of course, she needed some more time to get closer to everyone, but she had a group of friends. That would make life at her new school much easier.

The girls were thrilled when Clementine presented the news that she could join them. Apparently, their friend Mitch could also come, she didn't get the chance to meet him at his party, so she didn't exactly know what to expect. Their current roster consisted of her, Violet, Minnie, Sophie, Mitch, and of course, Louis.

The events of their trip would remain a mystery until they got home, but Clementine knew one thing. The days leading up to it would drag on for what felt like weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are just as excited as I am for this whole road trip fiasco! I've got a couple of ideas in the works so be sure to stay tuned for that!


	13. Finalizing the Plans

**Three Days Later: Clem's POV**

Clementine was right when she said the days leading up to their trip would drag on. Despite being busy with school preparations and finishing up the tasks Lee assigned, she still couldn't wait until they finally embarked. On the other hand, Lee was all over her, his check-ins were more frequent than ever, and he constantly wanted to spend time with her. Not that Clementine didn't love his positive attention, she just felt smothered sometimes.

Brody and Ruby got the okay from their parents, along with Aasim. Their friend Omar decided not to go, he was taking some summer culinary course. Of course, there was an intense discussion that took place on whether or not Marlon should be invited. Clementine only joined in when she felt it was necessary, she didn't have much to say about him. In the end, the vote was unanimous, there was no way they were going to bring him with them. Minnie planned the whole thing and she didn't want him ruining all of her hard work, nobody could disagree.

Louis texted Clem a few times a day, and she responded whenever she could find the time. However, ever since their late-night conversation, Clementine hadn't seen her favorite dread-headed friend. She was too busy to figure out where he was, and it didn't look like he was staying with Marlon. But it was also impossible to get him off her mind, she didn't understand why he was so unforgettable. She was looking forward to seeing him and spending time with him for that matter, but she also felt some form of dread. Dread, funny. Being with him for several days would either prove that she had feelings for him or completely push those emotions away.

Deep in thought, Clementine carefully rolled up her clothes in an attempt to make them as compact as possible so she could fit them in a small bag. They'd decided on taking Louis' jeep, Violet's car, and Aasim's slightly-larger-than-Violet's car. Which meant they weren't going to have a lot of luggage space. And since Louis' car had the largest trunk, he was going to haul around the tents.

Which meant everyone would have to pack light. Making it really hard when you have to fit a week's worth of clothes in one bag. So Clem kept it to a bare minimum, only packing the basics and a few extra pieces, overall everything fit into one backpack. After tucking a bottle of pills into the side pocket, Clementine fell to her bed with a huff. Everything was done, she was ready for school, the garden was perfectly weeded, she was all packed up. All she had to do was bring her backpack to Sophie's house so they could fit it in one of the cars and finalize their plans.

A peaceful wave flushed over her as she allowed herself a moment to relax on her bed. This could be the last calm moment she would get for the next week. Yes, she was excited to go on the trip. But she couldn't help but give in to the downside of her occasional thoughts. What if she got too anxious? What if she couldn't calm down and caused a scene in front of her friends? What if, what if. A buzz from her phone brought her out of her apprehensive state.

She pulled it out revealing a single text from Louis.

_**not_blue_lou:** Come outside, I'll bring you to Soph's_

_**clem.ev:** U know a little warning would be nice_

_**not_blue_lou:** I thought you would like a little surprise?_

_**clem.ev:** Alright, I'll be down in a minute, hold ur horses_

_**not_blue_lou:** Horses: held_

Clementine suppressed a smile while she picked up her backpack and jogged downstairs. Lee was in the kitchen, sorting through papers on the countertop, while AJ was concentrated on his video game as per usual. She padded up behind Lee, carefully placing a hand on his back so she didn't scare him. He still jumped a bit.

"I'm gonna head over to Sophie's, I'll be back in a bit," She grinned gingerly up at Lee, who wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Okay sweetheart, I love you," His grip loosened to hold her shoulders, he gave her a caring smile in return.

"I love you back," At her words, Lee tucked a curl behind her ear before releasing her and turning back to his work. She was grateful every day that Lee loved her as unconditionally as her biological parents once did.

By the time Clementine made it outside, Louis was too busy staring at his phone to realize he was somewhat in her company. Poor, sweet, innocent Louis, completely oblivious to the world around him. Such a shame that she had to burst his bubble. A mischievous smirk bloomed on Clementine's lips, she crouched down and quietly made her way to the freckled boy's car.

Once she successfully crept to his car, she peeked through his window on the passenger side. He still hadn't noticed her, instead of jumping at him right then and there, Clementine decided to knock her plan up a notch and circled over to his side. She prepared herself for a moment before jumping up and slapping her hands against his window with a shout.

Louis theatrically slammed his hands on the wheel, mimicking her loud noise with his own fearful shriek. Clementine couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Jesus, Clem! You scared the shit out of me!" His squawks were loud enough to hear through the window.

"Swear!" She jokingly pointed at Louis through the window before circling back around and opening the passenger door, dropping her backpack in first.

"Was that really necessary?" Louis held the wheel tightly, partially glaring at Clementine while she climbed into his car.

"Maybe you should be more alert, you know sex-trafficking is at an all-time high. Just because you're a boy doesn't mean they couldn't take you." Clem slammed the door, clicking her tongue at Louis. He looked stoically off into the distance.

"You may be right Clementine," With that, he started the car and pulled away from the curb. He was pretty good at driving, his expensive car might've had something to do with it though. With his income, this wasn't any old jeep. It was spacious and new, the seats were comfortable and Clementine was nearly certain it had butt warmers.

Louis' finger gently tapped the power button on the radio, he immediately began doing a little dance. Well, the best dancing someone who was driving a car could do. She analyzed the way his dreads swung lightly, and the way his soft lips curved while he mouthed the words. Being around him put everything else on pause, he was radiant.

"Why did you pick me up?" He seemed just as perplexed by her question as she was. It was out of character for her to just blurt things out, but she couldn't help herself around him. He grinned at her diligently.

"Isn't it obvious?" Louis asked her seriously, although his smile never fell.

"Isn't what obvious?" Was there something she was missing? What wasn't clicking?

"We are friends, Clem," he quickly shot her a sarcastic look, his eyes immediately returned to the road. "And I don't think you have a car, so I thought I could just swing by and pick you up on my way over."

Clementine was well aware that Louis had to go out of his way to get her, but she decided not to bring that up and just accept the ride. Even if the question rattled around her brain.

"Tell me a little something about yourself, Clemmy," Louis rammed into her mind again, but this time he was physically there.

"Like what," She raised an eyebrow at the boy, holding a smug smirk on her face, "Be-Lou-Ga?"

"Be-Lou-Ga?" His smile finally dropped as the words fell from his mouth.

"Yeah, like the whale. Your name is Louis and if you cut it down a little bit you get Lou, so if you add two and two you get-"

"I get it Clementine, but maybe you should leave the nicknames to me." He rudely cut her off, shielding his face with his hand.

"No, I think I'm really onto something here. I can feel like a little tingle in my brain," she continued to torment the boy. His smile returned to his lips yet again, and he dropped his hand.

"I think you're getting a headache from thinking too hard. But don't worry, we're almost to Sophie's and then you'll have time to get a real headache from listening to Aasim. All that man talks about is books, hunting, and- well I don't know that's all I ever hear." He waved a hand at the topic, seemingly unamused.

"Sounds pretty stoic to me, a strong, smart man? Who wouldn't want that?" She pestered the dreadlocked boy, who didn't seem too fond of the book worm.

"For starters, me. And I could keep listing off people if you-"

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you Lou." His jaw fell agape as the words spilled out of her mouth.

"Okay, that's it. I'm officially shunning you for the rest of the ride! I'm musically talented and drop-dead gorgeous, what does he have? A book, I don't think so." He lightly shook his head while talking.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend his majesty! How will you ever forgive me?" Clem dramatically leaned further into her seat, resting the back of her hand against her forehead.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe a candy bar will do?" Shrugging as he turned the corner to enter Sophie's neighborhood.

"That seems doable enough," She shot a joking glance at Louis who looked like he was trying to hide a smirk. A small cloud of gloom fell over Clementine as they pulled up to their final destination. Oh well, she'd be spending the next week with Louis, alone or not.

Louis turned off the car and leaned back in his seat. "You have arrived at your destination," He spoke in a techno voice before opening his door and getting out of the car. Clementine took a split second to compose herself before she even thought about getting out of the car. Why couldn't he just have a 'dark' sense of humor like most other guys, or say something stupidly controversial? But no, he had to have cute jokes coming out of his voicebox nearly every second of the day, and he was nothing but nice.

She got out of the car, lugging her backpack onto her back. A groan fell out of Louis' mouth, "You were supposed to let me open the door for you!"

He just loved to make things worse for her, every time she suppressed her feelings he came right back around to heave them back up. "Sorry, do you want me to get back in for a do-over?"

Louis stood still for a minute, deep in thought. "No, it's okay. I'll just do it when I take you home," He grinned at the girl before walking over to everyone else, Clementine was close on his heels.

"Hi Clem! Hi Lou! It's great to see you again!" Sophie skipped over and threw her arms around Clementine, who reciprocated the hug. When they pulled away from each other Sophie gave Louis a quick hug and turned back to her gal pal. "I think you've met everyone except Mitch. He's a little, uh, cold? But I'm sure he'll warm up to you!" She rubbed her hand along Clem's arm reassuringly before making her way back to the group.

"Don't worry, he'll love you," Louis smiled kindly at her before leading her to everyone else.

"Clementine!" Violet's voice rang out from the top of the driveway, prompting her to join the blonde girl. Once she made it up to Violet she was greeted by Minnie and an unfamiliar face as well. "You can put your bag in here, it should fit since someone around here knows how to ration their clothes properly." Violet glared at Minnie who was sitting silently next to her, sipping a cherry-cola.

The brunette placed her back in the trunk of Violet's car then turned to the boy she assumed was Mitch. "Hi, I'm Clementine. We haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet," She reached her hand out to him kindly, he stared at it for a couple seconds before shaking it loosely.

"Mitch." His face remained the same, with no trace of a smile in sight.

Violet's eyes flickered between landed on Clem after she finished shoving her bag into the car, a smirk bloomed on her face. "So you got a ride from Louis, huh?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." Clementine nervously tucked a curl behind her ear, "He just picked me up 'on his way'. I know he had to sidetrack though," she shook her head lightly, a small smile played on her lips, followed by a touch of blush.

"Hmm, well Louis is just nice like that," Violet shrugged, her smirk remained firmly on her face.

"Yeah, he's a sweet guy," For some reason, Violet looked satisfied by Clementine's answer, then went back to packing her car. Mitch stood next to her, his arms crossed while he stared off at the group. She followed his eyes and landed on a laughing Sophie, she was talking to Louis and Ruby. Maybe she could do a little matchmaking to keep her entertained for the next week?

She assumed they were waiting for the rest of the group to arrive to finalize their plans, Brody and Aasim still hadn't arrived. And all Clem knew was that they were staying at a campsite the first night, then motels for the rest of their journey.

* * *

**Louis POV**

Don't take this the wrong way, but as much as he loved spending time with his friends, he constantly found himself checking up on Clem. Of course she was beautiful, but that wasn't the only reason he admired her. She was clever, compassionate, caring, she was Clementine. There were things he wanted to understand about her, things he already understood, and things he wasn't even aware of yet.

A nudge to his arm brought him back to reality. Ruby and Sophie stared at him with a knowing look in their eyes.

"I should've bet with someone about this," Sophie shook her head.

"Who was there to bet with? We all knew," Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Knew about what?" Louis inquired, holding onto some hope that his 'little' crush remained a secret.

"You can't take your eyes off of her, you asked her to stay with you when you were drunk off your ass, you picked her up today, etc. etc." Sophie was holding some solid points there. Okay, so maybe he wasn't exactly subtle. But in his defense, Clementine was easy to talk to and understanding. She actually listened to him, or so it felt like. Maybe he was just imagining things because that's what he wanted, he'd done it before.

"I don't know what you're talking about. We're just looking out for each other, like friends do," He shrugged off Sophie's words like they were trivial statements, even though they were completely true.

"One of y'all is certainly 'looking out' for the other quite a bit," The southern girl crossed her arms as she spoke.

"Irrelevant! But what is relevant is how you and Aasim are completely neglecting your feelings for each other!" Louis accused Ruby right back. A deep laughter rang out from Sophie

"You're really getting deep into this girl talk, Louis," The laughing girl somehow managed to choke out.

"Girl talk is my middle name," Louis boasted. His middle name was actually Alexander, but that was beside the point. Just as he was about to open his trap again, Clementine came into view within his peripherals. Her curly hair bounced up right next to him, nudging her way into the group.

"Are you guys talking to Louis about menstruation?" He assumed she caught his last sentence about 'girl talk' and immediately assumed the worse. Well, what he considered the worse at least.

Sophie laughed again, "No, Louis just wanted to come over and bash Ruby's love-life."

"Well, I hope I'm not going to be his next victim," Clementine's eyebrows furrowed ever-so-slightly at her own joke.

Ruby batted at the air, "Oh trust me darlin', you're not." The fire-haired girl raised a suggestive eyebrow at Louis. She just hit him with a double-whammy, taking his nickname for Clem and using it for evil, then nearly exposing him. Unacceptable.

"Ruby and Aasim have just been dancing around each other for the past two years. They're both too afraid to admit they have feelings for each other, but everyone else knows they do," The boy shook his head, sharing a glance with Clementine who had a vibrant smile on her face. He swore every single muscle in his body tensed when she smiled.

"Why don't we make fun of Louis' luck in the dating field while we wait for our favorite gas-station scholar to arrive?" Sophie laid out the option despite the beginning of their conversation already revolving around him. "And you may be wondering, 'oh Sophie, how could someone like Louis have any issues with getting a girlfriend?' Well, to make a long story short, all of his ex's are flakes and we hate them."

Oh boy, here we go again. Louis preferred not to bring up those memories. "Soph, it's not that bad everyone just likes to blow it up."

"The first one was only after his money, same with the second one, then the third one too, the fourth one was alright. Up until she got bored and started talking to other guys while they were together," She continued to spew out his personal information.

"Holy mother of oversharing," He crossed his arms, trying not to let onto how upset the topic made him. "Can we just change the subject?"

"I think we already have," Clementine chimed in, pointing to Aasim's car that pulled in late, despite the fact that he was supposed to be one of the first people there. His trunk was going to be some of their personal wardrobes for the next week. Louis didn't trust either of his friends to carry his stuff around, he decided to stuff it in the back with the rest of their camping supplies.

"Let's continue the packing party, shall we?" Louis theatrically gestured to various cars before leaving the group and greeting Aasim.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

Despite the rest of her day going on without a hitch, Clementine still felt something eating at her. Once Brody arrived they found space for her bag in one of the cars and fortified their plans. They were going to have to spend about four hours a day driving if they wanted to make it to Florida within three days. Minerva calculated everything to her best extent, booking the campsites and motel rooms before half of the group confirmed that they could go. It was her trip after all.

Everything was great! But the pit in her stomach grew every time she looked at Louis. Sophie was just messing around, but she could tell he was hurt. It was probably something he liked to shove away. Louis didn't deserve to be treated that way by any of those girls.

After saying their goodbyes, Louis and Clementine piled into his newly packed car. Which didn't carry much except for a few tents and sleeping bags. Clem felt a squeezing in her chest when Louis didn't make any comments or jokes as they left. He didn't even try to talk to her.

She tried to break the somewhat awkward silence, "I'm sorry."

Louis shot her a concerned look, "For what?"

"For everyone that's ever used you, I didn't realize people would try to get to your money through you." Clementine avoided eye contact, finding her shoelaces more interesting than Louis for once.

"There's nothing to apologize for, I wish you hadn't even found out. I mean not yet at least, and not like that," He didn't offer her any chance of eye contact, his eyes remained firmly on the road. It hurt to see him this way.

"You don't owe me any explanation. How I found out was wrong, and you deserve better than that," She burned holes into the side of his head until he finally looked at her. He didn't try to hide the fact that he was unhappy from her, and she respected that. Their connection was short-lived due to the fact that they were in a moving car.

"Thank you, Clementine," It was concise, yet sweet statement, she wouldn't have it any other way.

Clem reached out to softly place her hand on Louis' shoulder, he gave her another sorrowful look before giving her a small smile. "Anytime, Belouga." His smile grew deeper as he turned his head back to the road. She reluctantly dragged away her hand so they could enjoy the rest of the car ride in their own little bubble of silence.

A content feeling draped over her, everything felt so natural between them. She felt her heart warm every time he smiled, and felt it tense every time he frowned. There was no need to look back at Louis, he needed some time to be somewhat alone with his feelings. So Clementine opted to keeping her gaze locked out the scenery outside of the window, which she didn't realize was becoming familiar until they pulled up to her house.

Clementine peeked back over at Louis, he was already looking at her. He shot her an earnest smile before opening his door and walking around to hers. How could she forget about her promise she made early? Louis pulled open the door and offered his hand.

"After you m'lady," His faux British accent brought back memories of their first interaction. Clementine couldn't help but grin, despite the rouge playing at her cheeks.

"Why, thank you, kind sir," She replied with her own British accent, allowing her hand to slip into his for an easier escape from his car. "It's been a pleasure, but I presume we must part ways?" He still hadn't dropped her hand, if anything he held it tighter.

"Unfortunately fair maiden. We'll meet again in the morn', under similar circumstances," Louis slowly released her hand, careful not to drop it. Instead, he let their fingers leisurely slip away from one another.

"In that case, I'll see you tomorrow my chariot driver," Clementine shifted around her freckled friend and made her way to the front door. There was only one task left on her list: buy a candy bar before tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm going to do a bit of a posting update change. Currently, I've been publishing new chapters on Thursday and Sunday. But, if I don't want this fic to be like SUPER long I'm gonna have to reduce updates to once a week and just post longer chapters. I'll probably rope my current schedule back in once I finish the road trip. Bare with me everyone!  
> Thank you so much for your support I love you all!!!


	14. The First Drive

Clementine woke up earlier than usual, the anticipation filling her veins made it hard to sleep. She tossed and turned all night, so when she checked her clock for what felt like the one-thousandth time, and realized it was an acceptable time to be awake she felt relieved. Sleep still poked at the back of her mind. Followed by nervous pricks on the back of her neck that sent a shiver down her spine. Clem knew if she needed time alone she would just have to distance herself from the group, so she tried not to let herself worry too much.

After sitting up in her bed and pushing many, many, curls out of her face, she swiped her feet onto the floor. The sun looked as though it has just risen over the horizon, yeah it was totally respectable for her to be up that early near the end of summer. At her vanity, Clementine took a seat, gently combing the tangles out of her curls. She pulled half of it up into a bun and applied a bit of mascara. Once Clem felt nicely done up, she slipped on a dress, pairing it with thin shorts for extra coverage. Comfortable and cute.

By the time she was done, the sun was just slightly higher in the sky. It was going to be a long morning of waiting for Louis to arrive. Clem went over a mental list, making sure she had everything she may need. Packing money nearly slipped her mind, good thing she realized before it was too late. She grabbed her purse, shoving a book, some money, and of course Louis' candy bar into it. Okay, now what? Clementine took one last glance around her room before flopping onto her bed, allowing her eyes to relax with the rest of her body for a second.

* * *

"Clementine, Louis is here!"

Clem shot out of bed, shit. She must've fallen back asleep, at least she was ready to go for the most part. The only exception being that she didn't eat breakfast, or say goodbye formally to Lee or AJ. A tiny sphere of guilt formed like a ball of lead in her stomach. Lee was already nervous about her leaving, now she'd just have to quickly run out the door. There was no time to wallow.

She grabbed her previously packed bag and a throw blanket, car rides were always better with blankets. After taking a final look at her room, Clementine took the stairs two at a time to say her goodbyes.

Once she began to made it halfway down the stairs she noticed Louis standing stiffly in the doorway, Lee hovered over him whispering, mostly, inaudible words. Clem checked her phone, surprised that it didn't wake her up with Louis' small spam.

_**not_blue_lou:** I'm here_

_**not_blue_lou:** Hellooooo Clemmyyyy_

_**not_blue_lou:** You officially owe me another candy bar, I'm going in_

_**not_blue_lou:** This may be the last text I ever send, wish me luck_

"You better take good care of my daughter now, if anything bad happens to her I'm coming for you first," Lee threatened the boy, of course, his protective dad instincts had to come out in front of Louis. Clementine ran down the rest of the stairs to intervene, saving her paralyzed friend.

"Okay dad, that's enough. Louis isn't my babysitter," She met Lee's side, earning her a look from her dad.

"But don't worry! I'll keep Clem out of harm's way!" Louis butted in, her company must have surged some confidence within him. That didn't seem to calm his nerves, Lee sighed and placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

"That doesn't stop me from being worried. Please, just stay out of trouble Clementine," Lee embraced the girl in a side hug. Leaving her dad tugged at her heartstrings, she hadn't left his side for that long since the two were originally united.

"Are you leaving already?" AJ's tired voice croaked out from behind them. She was going to leave her partner in crime too, what was she supposed to do without him? Maybe she should just stay home? No, it's only a week and she could call them anytime, it was going to be okay.

Clementine turned around to face her brother. "I'm afraid so, but I'll be back in a week. Which means no one is going to be able to stop you from getting into my stuff, so just stay out of my room Goofball!" He chuckled, one of her favorite sounds.

"I'm gonna miss you, Clem," The younger boy came forward, tightly embracing his sister.

"I'll miss you too AJ, but don't worry I'll call you every day!" She pulled away, giving his hair a good ruffle before turning back to Lee. Louis was still standing awkwardly in the entryway, she'd almost forgot he was there.

Lee tucked a curl behind her ear and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "You stay safe out there. I love you, Sweetpea." As much as she loved his nickname for her, she knew Louis was going to use it against her in some way or another. Clem just hoped he didn't notice.

"I love you too." Clementine gravitated towards Louis, waving a silent goodbye to her family before climbing into his car. "Sorry I didn't come down when you texted me, I fell asleep on accident."

Louis twisted in his seat to look at the girl. "Good," Clementine nearly flinched away when he brought his fingers up to the outer corner of her eye, gently brushing away at something. "I thought you might've been crying." She noticed a smudge of mascara on his finger as he pulled away to start the car.

"N-nope! I just didn't sleep very well last night, I guess I needed a couple extra hours," Her cheeks burned fiercely, especially targeting the place his fingers once rested.

"Well, in that case, let's get to Minnie's so we can pick up our extra cargo!" Louis tapped at his phone for a few seconds, starting an upbeat song before driving away. The acoustic guitar danced in the air around them, the song sounded familiar. But from where? That was when the lyrics began to play.

"Sweet pea, apple of my eye.

Don't know when and I don't know why.

You're the only reason I keep on coming home."

She frowned at the first words, Louis bobbed his head a radiant grin plastered on his lips. He glanced over at Clem every few seconds, waiting for a reaction.

"Sweet pea, what's all this about?

Don't get your way all you do is fuss and pout.

You're the only reason I keep on coming home."

Clementine reached toward the power button, turning off the music. Her speculations proved to be true.

Louis pretended to be baffled, "What did you do that for? I thought it was a good song."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Yeah, that's why you turned it on."

"Fine, I guess I'll just have to make my own music then!" He frowned, humming yet another familiar tune. One he'd already played to her on the piano while he was drunk.

"Louis, if this entire ride is going to consist of you singing songs about my name, I'm going to leave you."

He theatrically gasped, "You wouldn't dare! I didn't think my singing voice was that bad," Clementine nodded. She loved hearing him sing, but not the same two songs for four hours straight. "Okay fine, I guess you're lucky that I've always had a fantasy about going on a road trip and listening to early 2010s pop songs."

"You've won me back already, I think we're going to have a very good time together Louis." She stretched her arms behind her neck, serving as an extra form of comfort. Her blanket was stilled balled up in her lap.

"I couldn't agree more my darling," Louis grinned as he pulled up to Sophie's house.

They didn't even have the chance to unbuckle their seatbelts before Sophie ran over to Clem's window. "Finally, you're here! Can I please ride with you guys? Ruby and Brody are going with Aasim and Mitch. Which means I'd be left with Minnie and Violet, but we all know how that would turn out for me," She lightly pouted.

"Of course you can, four hours confined in a car with two of my closest friends? Sign me up," Clementine grinned at the redhead who instantly crawled into the back seat.

"We should leave now, so we can beat them to the campsite," The words sprang from a very determined Louis.

"I haven't had anything to eat yet, can we make a fast food stop along the way?" Clem already began flattening her blanket over her lap, slipping off her shoes for maximum comfort.

"Absolutely Sweetpea, but we can't let them know this is a competition until we're actually on the road," He grinned at her nickname. She was going to need to share some words with Lee about that later.

Sophie began to sing softly, "Sweet pea, apple of my eye. Don't know wh-"

"Not you too!" Sure, she'd heard the song before but not twice in the same day.

"What? It's a good song!" The red-haired girl threw her hands up. It would be a good song if it wasn't being used against her.

"That's what I said," Louis exclaimed while looking back at Sophie.

"Louis, I thought you said you were going to play early 2010s pop music, where's that at?" Clementine huffed sitting back in her seat.

"Ladies please, we can't be the car of fun if we're arguing. Let us sing," Louis paused, the entire car muted, waiting for him to do something. "Clementine press play," he whispered softly.

She sat up in her seat again, "Oh, I didn't know we had a cue," Picking up Louis' phone she turned on the first song. Good old classic 'Tongue Tied' by Grouplove. Sophie and Louis began to chant out the lyrics, Clementine joined in after she realized what was about to go down. They shouted the song all the way to McDonald's where they ordered their feast for the day. Louis made it clear that the only pit stop they were going to make was for gas, if they absolutely needed it.

Nobody argued against that, they wanted to beat the other groups too. That triggered Sophie to pull out her cellphone to call her sister, "Hey! Yeah, everything is great. But I need to tell you something! Eat our dust bitches!" She abruptly hung up and began texting Mitch that they were going to, 'beat their asses'. Her friends were apparently the competitive type.

The burst at the seams with laughter. Clem continued to grin internally after their laughter subsided. A loving warmth filled Clementine's entire body, there was no one else she'd rather spend her time with. The motley crew went back to belting out the phenomenal songs on Louis' playlist. They drove for a few hours until Louis needed to get gas. He had to pay in cash, which left the girls alone in the car.

"You know I was worried about third-wheeling with Minnie and Vi, but being your third wheel is so much better," Sophie leaned closer to Clementine.

"What makes you say that?" She sat backward in her seat to face the girl. Clem thought everything was going well and that she was paying equal amounts of attention to both of her friends?

The red-head lightly shook her head with a giggle, "He's been giving you mega heart-eyes all day! And you've been giving them right back!"

"Shhh, keep it down. He could come back at any minute," Clem hushed the girl and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So you're not denying it!" Sophie leaned even closer, her eyes were wide and she had a toothy grin plastered on her face. Maybe telling one friend wouldn't hurt? It was just an itty-bitty, teeny-tiny crush, right?

"Okay, fine! I might like him, but it's too early to actually tell. And I'm sure he doesn't like me like that," Clementine shifted forward again.

"Oh stop! He clearly does, it's not like he's trying to keep it a secret" Sophie squealed, lightly tapping the shoulders of Clem's seat in excitement. "Also, what do you mean, 'too early'? You've known him for like a week now. Just because you don't know him that well doesn't mean your crush can't start developing."

Clem placed her hand firmly against her forehead. "I don't know! What if I just think he's cute?"

"Listen, Clem, Louis is cute. But his personality is part of the reason why he's so adorable! You don't seem like the kind of girl to just like a guy because he's attractive," Sophie placed her hand on Clem's shoulder, reassuring her with a squeeze.

"Yeah, I guess you're ri-" Her sentence was cut short due to Louis opening the car door. A questioning look flashed on his face as he took in Sophie's hand placed on her shoulder, and Clem leaning her forehead onto her palm.

"Is everything okay in here?" The boy leaned forward, placing his wallet in the center console. His fingers lightly brushed Clem's knee as he pulled away. A small chill scampered down her spine, flooding her entire body with his touch.

"No worries Lou! Clementine just has a headache, I gave her some Advil so she'll be back to normal in no time," Sophie grinned, she was good at lying. It was probably from growing up with siblings. Likely having to cover for Minnie, Tenn seemed too docile to cause any big problems.

Louis pursed his lips, "Well, we're going to have to take the next few songs easy then. Alright, Clemmy?" A sweet grin formed on his lips, with his missing tooth doing nothing but make it better. He shut the door so he could pump the gas.

"Nice save," Clem whispered gratefully.

"What are friends for?" Sophie grinned back, but her smile dropped almost instantly. "That was Aasim's car! They passed us!" She began knocking on the window at Louis, "Hurry up fool, Aasim just drove by!"

Louis was a man on a mission, he yanked the nozzle out of the tank and jumped in the car as fast as he could. "We can't lose to Aasim, of all people!" What was up with his rivalry with Aasim?

"I just saw him, we can pass them!" Sophie barely had time to buckle up before Louis quickly drove away. "Drive faster grandpa!"

"I'm carrying precious cargo! Don't rush me!" Louis veered sharply around a corner, prompting Clementine to grip tightly on the handle above her head, mounting Louis' seat with the other hand.

"There they are!" Sophie sprang forward, pointing out the window. Her hands held onto Clem and Louis' headrests.

"Okay hold on tight everyone! I'm about to drive recklessly!" The freckled boy pushed on the acceleration, passing Aasim's car easily. Clementine stuck her head out the window, blowing a raspberry at the occupants of the car behind them. "That's the spirit, Clem! Friendship built on competition! I love it!"

"It's all thanks to you, Lou. Hey, that rhymed!" She blurted out.

"It looks like 'the car of fun' is really rubbing off on you," Sophie shook Clementine's shoulders.

Clem spared a glance back at Sophie, grinning while she spoke. "I hope that's not a bad thing."

"It won't be as long as we win the battle. Now, turn that funky music back on!" Louis put up his finger in a matter-of-factly way.

The rest of the drive passed quickly, they were having more than enough fun singing together. And much to Louis' satisfaction, they arrived at the campsite first. Luckily no one else made their way in front of them or he would have thrown a fit.

* * *

As time passed the rest of the group slowly trickled in. Somehow Minnie and Violet beat Aasim's troop by quite some time. They set up the only two tents they brought before heading out to find a diner. By the time they made it back, the moon was beginning to rise and they decided to set up a campfire. Everyone pulled up foldable chairs around the fire, an assortment of smores supplies was continuously passed around the group.

A bashful flurry found it's way in Clem's stomach when Louis took a seat next to her. His usual shorts and t-shirt combo was exchanged for a hoodie and joggers. Grey joggers to be exact. And boy, did he look good. Clem realized she was staring for a bit too long and faced toward the fire again, meeting Sophie's eye. She threw a quick wink at Clem, causing the persistent burn to stay painted on her cheeks, she pulled the hood of her sweatshirt up to block her face from Louis. Silently thanking the fire for leaving a glow on her face already.

A wave of realization hit her, Louis' hoodie was still at her house. She forgot to give it back after he lent it to her, arguably she didn't see him in the days following their visit. Clem made a mental note to give it back when they got home. Home, another awakening reached her, she needed to call Lee, a promise is a promise. She stood from her chair, instantly feeling Louis' eyes on her.

He stood up after her, man, did Lee really intimidate him that much? "I need to call my dad real quick, I'll be back in a minute," Her eyes flashed towards his.

"I'll come with you, it's not safe," Louis persisted. He wasn't wrong, and it wouldn't do any harm if he came along, safety in numbers and all that jazz.

"Thank you," Clem smiled at the boy before making her way towards the edge of the campsite, near a path leading off into the woods. Louis certainly wasn't as quiet as her but he was trying, maybe? Okay, he was being really loud. She turned to face the boy who was attempting to weave through the bushes, getting caught every two feet on something. He stared intensely at the ground. "You doing okay over there, Lou?"

His eyes shot up just as he snapped another branch under his foot. "Yeah, I just need to do a little yoga or something."

"Yoga?"

"Doesn't yoga make you flexible and like zen? Maybe if I had the power of yoga on my side I would be better at this."

Clementine took a second to think, "You know, I think you're trying to be funny. But you're actually right." She didn't understand how it was so hard for him to stay in the center of the path, it wasn't an arguable matter though. Waiting for Louis to catch up, Clem stood still.

"Yoga is no joking matter, Clementine." Louis grimaced as a branch brushed against his face, he finally made it to the girl. The moonlight gleamed off his face. Creating small halos in his eyes, Clementine could get lost in them. And lost she was, until they looked right into hers. She couldn't bring herself to look away, and she didn't feel the need to. If anything she felt them inviting her in.

He silently brought his fingers up to her face, brushing them against her cheekbone before tucking curls behind her ear. His lips parted slightly.

"I like it better when I can see your face," Louis carefully pulled her hood away, retracting his hand once he finished. She wasn't sure if she could form words at the moment, so she chose to silently nod instead. Suddenly she remembered why they were actually there. Clementine tore her eyes away from the boy and dialed Lee's number.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

He waited patiently for Clem to call her dad. The wear and tear of the day made his eyes heavy with sleep. But they were still light enough to drink up every drop of Clementine. She was wearing similar clothing to him, but her hair laid somewhat messily over her shoulder. He's seen her in the silver glow that the moon radiated before, but she always left him completely breathless.

Her long eyelashes cascaded over her rosy cheeks and her lips almost always formed a skillfully curved, pink smile. Okay Louis, enough swooning. Clem turned away from him, one hand resting on her hip while the other held her phone up to her ear. She put some space between them so Louis couldn't hear what she was saying, he rocked awkwardly in the middle of the path.

Louis was deeply pleased with the amount of time he'd got to spend with the girl today. With Sophie there, Clem seemed even more relaxed. His thoughts were interrupted by the girl consuming his mind approaching him.

She gave him two thumbs up, "All is well in the Everett household. I mean, except for Lee worrying about me."

"What? Are my bodyguarding skills not enough for you? I thought I was doing pretty good," He assumed a confident position with his arms resting on his hips.

"I hate to break it to you, Lou. But I think I'm more your bodyguard than you are mine," Clem walked past him, making her way back to the campsite. He jogged back up to her side like a lost puppy.

"What makes you say that?" Instead of replying to his question Clementine just grinned. The group's eyes turned to the pair as they pushed through the bushes.

Minnie was sitting on Violet's lap, her legs hung over the armrest of the chair. "Welcome back! Did you two have fun banging in the woods?" Minnie leaned back to stare at them.

Clementine placed her hand on her hip again, seemingly unbothered. "I was calling my dad. If you guys toned down your dirty jokes I could have called him here."

"Yeah Minnie, don't you know Louis hasn't even kissed a girl yet?" Mitch bellowed out in laughter. A few of the others shared his laughter. They just loved to embarrass him, didn't they? He looked over at Clementine expecting to receive a questioning look. Instead, she was looking straight at Mitch with her eyebrows in a tense line.

Louis crossed his arms, assuming a defensive position. "I just want it to be special, give me a break!"

"And there's nothing wrong with that," Clementine shook her head at Mitch before returning to her seat next to Ruby.

"I think it's sweet Louis," Sophie smiled at the boy. She looked back to the fire to continue roasting her marshmallow. Louis shot a look at Mitch, sticking his tongue out at the boy before assuming his seat next to Clementine yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry about how long this update took! I didn't realize how busy I was going to be this past weekend. I'm going to start shooting for one update a week until school ends, which I only have a little over two weeks left! Then I'll be able to return to my regular schedule. Thanks for sticking with me! I love you all!!!


	15. Rainy Day Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Separated from the group, Clementine and Louis have to come up with activities to pass the time.

**Clem's POV**

"Nobody wants to go to your stupid museum, Louis," Mitch rubbed his temple, his use was short when it came to Louis.

They'd just finished their breakfast when Louis brought up his request to go to an art museum on the way to their next destination, which contrasted greatly with Minnie's suggestion to go to the boardwalk.

"It's not stupid! It's inspiring!" Louis crossed his arms, doing his best to defend his point while keeping a strong facade.

Clementine felt a twinge of guilt for her friend. "Why don't we just split up? We can just meet back at the motel later tonight."

Mitch furrowed his eyebrows at her suggestion. "He's the only one that wants to go. I'm sure as hell not going, are you?"

Louis frowned, it was a battle he was close to losing. Clem quickly glanced at the freckled boy and placed her hands on her hips, "Sure, I don't see why not. It'll just be a few hours in an air-conditioned, quiet building instead of a busy oversized dock riddled with bees."

"You don't have to do that Clem, go with the others. I'll be fine," He smiled kindly at the girl, people putting him on the back-burner must've happened often.

"What about that whole 'safety in numbers' spiel you gave me last night? Besides, staying indoors will just reduce my chances of getting skin cancer," Clem batted away his words.

"Okay great! Louis is going to a museum with his girlfriend, and the rest of us are going to have a fun day at the beach!" Mitch rebutted, sass filled his tone, as per usual. Louis stiffened next to Mitch. Ouch, the idea of them being together apparently didn't sit well with him.

"She has a name, you idiot," Sophie sashayed towards the group, hand on her hip. Her feministic personality beamed off of her. Mitch didn't seem to like that but turned away instead of arguing Sophie returned the favor by rolling her eyes and walking in the opposite direction. Come to think of it, Sophie was the only person Clem hadn't seen Mitch be rude to, it didn't seem like he planned on changing that either.

"Sorry about Mitch, he doesn't know how to act," Louis brushed off the entire situation.

The girl's tent violently opened behind Clem. "Shut the fuck up!" Violet sent an individual death stare at everyone in the campsite. Brody and Minnie were still asleep deeper within the tent that Violet was viciously zipping back shut.

The shock factor that Violet sent rendered Clementine silent for a few seconds. "Uh, it's okay. Tell me about your museum."

* * *

Once the campsite was neatly packed up, the group parted ways. Louis decided he wanted to listen to some relaxing music instead of yesterday's pop playlist. Which was completely fine by Clem, the day before had been tiring and she wasn't even the one driving. Clementine hummed along to the soothingly familiar lyrics.

"I uh- I never said thank you for coming with me," Louis awkwardly stuttered out his words. "It was nice of you. I appreciate it," He shot her a grateful grin before turning back to the road.

She reciprocated his smile, "I couldn't just let you go alone, you're too important to get kidnapped."

"Aw, you think I'm important? Thanks!" Louis jokingly gushed at her. "I'll try to make it quick, maybe we could still make it to the boardwalk?"

"There's no need to rush. We'll have plenty of chances to do other fun stuff," Clem knew how much Louis wanted to visit the museum. He revealed to her during their conversation that there were several classic, antique, pianos there. She adored the way he explained every instrument in great detail, without a care in the world.

"What is my museum not considered fun to you?" Fake offense coated Louis' voice.

"You make it seem like a lot more fun than it probably is, but that's okay! I'm sure we'll have a good time, what's the worse that could happen?"

* * *

"This is probably one of the worst things that could have happened," Just as Clem pouted out her words a truck drove past, splashing her from the waist down with muddy water. As luck would have it, on their way to the hotel Louis' tire gave out, while it was raining. It was raining so hard she couldn't even allow herself to consider it to be rain, it was like tiny little marbles beating down on them.

"I promise I'm almost done. Then we can do something about... that," He gestured to Clem's soaked outfit while he tightened the bold, securing a new tire.

Clem shook her head, "Louis, we can barely see. There's no way we're going to make it back to the hotel in one piece. No offense, you're a great driver. But it's raining cats and dogs out here."

The boy stood, water clung heavily to his dreadlocks. Dripping down his face, dribbling off his nose and chin. "Gah, we should've just stayed with the group. Now we're going to die out here!"

"Hey, we had fun! Up until five minutes ago, that is," She shrugged and began walking to her side of the car, climbing in shortly after Louis.

"I like how you didn't bring up the fact that we're inevitably going to die on the side of a freeway," He spoke somewhat nervously.

Clem couldn't help but roll her eyes at his over-exaggeration. "We're not going to die. Just pull over somewhere safe, then we'll work from there, okay?"

"Okay, yeah. We're thinking logically now. I like that, we've got this, right Clem?" Louis anxiously started the car, staring at the girl in anticipation of her response.

"We're going to be fine Belouga, don't worry," Clementine shook her head, a light laughter puffed between her words.

"I'm trusting you on this one Darlin', don't fail me now." With that, Louis pulled back into traffic and the pair began to search for a safe place to pull off. The rain turned into a torrential downpour just as they pulled off onto an exit for a rest station. Relief fell over the car when Louis finally parked.

"So it doesn't exactly look like we're going to be driving anytime soon, huh?" Clem finally felt her body relax. "Maybe we should call the others? Let them know where we are, and that we're okay?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea. We can also see how well their little beach day went," Louis jabbed his thumb at the window, gesturing to the current weather situation. "But first we have more important matters to attend to. You need to get changed before you catch a cold."

"Louis, I didn't bring my entire suitcase to a museum," However, she wished she would've at least brought a change of clothes, considering that nasty truck did quite the number on her.

Louis didn't allow any hesitation, "You can wear some of my clothes! Sure, they're way bigger than yours but they're not soaked!"

"What is it with you and giving away your clothes?" Despite her somewhat snarky comment, the idea of wearing Louis' clothes didn't seem to appalling. Not to mention she would be getting out of her cold, wet clothes which were clinging to her body in uncomfortable ways.

Louis grinned at the girl, "What can I say? I'm just a compassionate person."

That was something Clementine already knew, "Alright, I'll give in. What do you have?"

"What, do you think I trust Violet or Aasim with my clothes when I can haul it around myself? I think not," Louis shook his head then began to crawl into the back seat. He yanked his suitcase from the trunk, carefully sifting through its contents before pulling out a green long-sleeved shirt and athletic shorts. "You better be careful with that, it's my favorite shirt."

Clementine gingerly held the soft shirt in her hands, "Are you sure, this is a pretty big deal Louis." A playful grin found its way onto her lips.

The freckled boy pushed her hands closer to her body, "I insist, but if you stain it you have to buy me a new one."

The storm continued to rage on outside, "Should we try to find a vending machine or something? Peanut butter crackers for dinner?" Since they spent the majority of their day at the museum they didn't have much of an opportunity to eat anything, except for a poorly cooked breakfast. Clementine still laughed when he told Aasim to 'leave the cooking to Omar', even though she didn't the group's chef.

"Yeah, I'm starved. There's always bathrooms around these places anyways. That way you can get changed too," Louis began to lean forward when she placed a hand on the equally soaked boy's shoulder.

"You've been so worried about me that you haven't even looked at yourself. Grab some clothes then we'll go," She slid her hand away from him so he could collect some clothes for himself. A faint, but noticeable blush coated Louis' cheeks as he took a look at his drenched attire before reopening his suitcase.

Louis patted the dry clothes he held in his arms, "Are we ready now?"

"Yeah, we'll have to run though. Unless you have an umbrella?" It was a shot in the dark, but better than running through a monsoon.

It was like a lightbulb went off, "I actually do! Never go anywhere unprepared!" Clem watched as Louis pushed the various camping supplies around the trunk, finally pulling out a clear umbrella. She'd pegged the boy as many different things, overly prepared was not one of them. But at least he was saving their rear end.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" Clementine laughed as Louis handed her the large item.

"Alright, let's make it quick, this umbrella can't save us from everything." Clem examined the boy as he held his clothes close to his body. She'd only seen him that way once before when he was sleeping in the passenger seat of Violet's car. Clem decided that it wasn't a childish look, but an innocent one. The soft smile that graciously planted on his face blessed her once again.

Louis burst her bubble by shoving open the back door, Clementine followed his lead and opened the umbrella. They squeezed together under the tight, but dry, sanctuary. His intoxicating scent drifted to her nose almost immediately.

* * *

**Louis' POV**

Even while she was unhappily soaked, Clementine was still one of the most gorgeous beings he'd ever laid his eyes on. He felt genuinely cared for around her, she was constantly there to defend him, or make sure he was doing well in general. It wasn't something he was well acquainted with. Of course his friends had his back, but most of the time they just ended up treating him like a child instead of helping him.

Their height difference allowed Louis to stare at the girl without getting caught, she was too determined to notice anyways. The pair fell into a light jog while they made it to the undercover area, parting ways to change in the appropriate restrooms. It felt nice to change into dry clothes, without Clem's reminder he probably would've had to make a second trip.

Louis finished first and took a seat on a bench next to the women's bathroom, staring off into the blinding rain while he waited for her to finish up. Eventually, the door swiftly opened, revealing a slightly awkward (but cute) Clementine. Her legs were no longer covered in mud and she pulled up her hair into a bun. Louis couldn't contain his laughter at the way his clothes fit over her small frame, the drawstrings of his shorts were pulled as tight as possible and she'd cuffed the sleeves of his shirt.

He rubbed his chin, "I'd say it's a pretty good fit, eh Clemmy?" She rolled her eyes in return.

"Please tell me you found a vending machine while I was scrubbing that mud off," Her amber eyes met his in a slightly pleading way. Oops, he must've been too enraptured in his thoughts about her.

"I would have if I knew I was supposed to. And I thought we were supposed to stick together, did you suddenly have a change of heart and realize you want me to get kidnapped?" Louis stood with his hands on his hips.

Clementine paused for a minute, "Almost, but not quite. Now come on, let's find something to eat." The girl brushed him off and continued on the covered path which hopefully lead to a vending machine.

"What do you mean 'not quite'?" He followed close behind while he waited for an answer until the extraordinary machine came into sight, Louis cut in front of Clementine to view the contents of the machine. "Pick your poison, Sweetpea, it's on me." He grinned as Clementine met his side and analyzed what could be their next meal.

"Let's go for some chocolate chip cookies, starbursts, and pretzels," She nervously looked at the boy, "I mean, if that's okay?"

He bumped his hip against her's. "Of course it's okay, we're going to need lots of snacks for our eventful night," The realization of how his words could have been taken the wrong way immediately hit him. "Wait- I mean- forget I said that."

Laughter bubbled out of Clementine, "Forget you said what?"

"That I said- oh- nothing," She laughed again at his fumble. He decided to buy their food instead of continuing to dig a deeper hole for himself. Once their food was in their possession they made their way to a grassy area, which barely had any coverage. Clementine sat down on the dry pavement with her legs crossed, he slid down the wall next to her.

They enjoyed a comfortable silence as Clementine snacked on her cookies and Louis bit into a cracker. Leaning forward, Clementine plucked a small yellow flower from the small lawn. She turned toward Louis before rubbing the flower on the back of his hand, leaving a yellow stain.

Clem smiled softly as she released the smushed flower from between her fingertips. "My mom and I used to do that all the time."

Louis realized he'd never heard the girl talk about her mom, or even refer to her. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but are your parents divorced?" The words gently spilled out of his mouth, but he felt regret flood his system when Clem stiffened next to him. "You don't have to answer that, I'm sorry."

Tension filled the air between them. "It's okay," Clementine leaned her bag of cookies against the wall. "Um, Lee isn't my biological dad." She paused again, taking a deep breath "When I was eight, my parents got in a really bad accident. I don't remember how it happened, I was at home with my babysitter, and I was too young for anyone to tell me anything. My mom- she didn't make it." Louis realized she was getting a bit choked up and scooted closer to the girl, hesitantly placing his hand onto hers.

She looked up at him before continuing her story, tears threatened to spill over. "After that, my dad had a really hard time. He started to drink a lot, spent a lot of time out, and even lost his job." When her voice quivered Louis gave her a reassuring squeeze. "But one night he didn't come home. He got so mindlessly drunk that he beat someone half to death and got thrown in jail. Even if he wasn't convicted of the crime yet, I was still put in the system because he was deemed an unfit parent. A few years later Lee adopted me, I'm just really lucky I ended up with him."

A few tears trailed down Clem's face, the sight was like a stab to the heart. Louis gently cupped her face, lightly brushed the tears from her cheeks before pulling her into a warm hug. Clementine leaned into him, resting her head on the boy's chest while he rubbed circles on her back. She eventually pulled away, rubbing at her cheeks with a sad laugh.

"Sorry, you probably weren't expecting that. But don't worry about me, I'm happy now. I have Lee and AJ, and you guys too," Clem carefully shoved at the boy's shoulder with a small smile.

"I feel like I should tell you about my deep stuff now, huh?" Louis cringed internally at the thought.

"You don't have to feel obligated to tell me anything personal," Clementine pursed her lips, "But if you want to then I'm here to listen."

He did need to vent to someone. Might as well rip it off like a band-aid? "My dad is cheating on my mom, and I'm pretty sure she already knows about it too."

Clementine rubbed his arm reassuringly, "I'm sorry, Louis. You don't deserve to be dragged in the middle of that."

"Well, it does kinda seems like nothing after what you told me," He let out a snort while he fiddled with his thumbs. Clementine reached out and placed her hands onto his, putting an end to his nervous twitching.

She rubbed her thumb across his knuckles, "That's not true, what happened to me was years ago. What's happening to you is now. And it doesn't matter what the issue is, if it's causing you distress then it matters."

Louis hadn't realized how close they'd gravitated towards each other. The tip of Clementine's perfectly arched nose was mere inches away from his. He took a mental picture of each detail of her mesmerizing golden eyes. Her lips slightly parted but her smile remained intact. A lump grew in his throat, nearly cutting off his source of oxygen.

He swallowed the lump, "Thank you for listening, Clementine."

She smiled at him before pulling her hands away from his and picking up her snacks. "Let's get back to the car, it's cold as hell out here." Louis followed her lead.

They popped the umbrella open again before venturing into the storm. The minute they made it back Louis started the car and turned up the heater. For spending the past month nearly dying of heatstroke, a heavy storm was completely unexpected. Maybe they should have checked the weather before they decided to go on a road trip.

"I believe we have some phone calls to make?" Pulling out his phone as he spoke, Louis began tapping the screen. Of all people who could he possibly call? There was Mitch and Aasim who were equally fun to antagonize. But there was one person in particular who was his favorite to bother, "Vi is mine!"

Clementine chuckled, "Okay, I'll call Brody? That should cover both of the cars, unless they're still at the beach?"

Louis let out a boisterous laugh while the phone rang, a click sounded in his ear. "What Louis?" ah Violet, chipper as always.

"Nice to hear from you too Vi! We just wanted to let you guys know that we're safe. That is if you're at the hotel waiting for us." Silence came from Violet's end of the line, a light pattering sounded from the background. "Did your little beach day go sour?"

"Shut up Louis! I'm soaking wet, angry, cold, and not in the mood for you." She aggressively spat back. Clementine's eyes widened a bit, despite being on the phone with Brody she could still hear Violet's shouts coming from his phone.

"Ouch Vi, you'd better keep it down unless you want Clementine to think you're grumpy." He laughed at the girl inside his phone.

"If you laugh one more time I'm going to scream so loud about how you like Clem that everyone on the East Coast will hear it. Just know, I won't hesitate, bitch," Violet threatened the boy.

"Louis likes Clementine?" He heard Sophie's high-pitched voice shout. Louis glanced at the girl sitting next to him, she was still in a pleasant conversation with Brody. But word traveled fast and Louis hoped it would stay between them.

"Thanks Vi, I'll talk to you later," his words were slurred as he spoke through his teeth.

Louis was about to hang up when Violet began laughing on the other end. "Wait does this mean you're going to sleep in your car, together?"

A profuse blush burned at his cheeks, he quickly turned away from Clementine. "M-maybe. Bye." More laughter came from her end while he nearly dropped his phone in an attempt to hang up.

Although he couldn't see behind the deep cover of clouds, Louis could tell it was getting darker. Violet's words continued to mock him. They were going to have to sleep together in his car. Not like the naughty 'sleeping together'! She was literally going to sleep in his car. Which was one of the most intimate things he'd ever done.

By the time he was done obsessing over the fact they were going to spend more alone time together than he originally bargained for, Clementine was done talking to Brody. "Okay, just one more call then we can brainstorm," After tapping at her phone for a bit there was someone new on the line.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

She truly did try to push the thoughts of slumbering next to Louis out of her brain. But once she told Lee about her predicament she'd be done for. There was no point in being dishonest, she did nothing wrong. And wasn't planning on doing anything against his rules for that matter. It was merely her luck to be put in the situation. Was it good or bad? That was something Clementine couldn't put her finger on.

Lee finally picked up and Clementine checked every rack of her mind to find out how to approach it. There must've been cobwebs in her brain from the lack of intel she had.

"Hey Sweetpea, are you doing okay? Feeling well?" Her dad prodded over the phone.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I've gotta tell you something you really aren't gonna like," Clementine nervously glanced at Louis who cringed in the driver's seat.

"Oh boy, please don't tell me you had intercourse," She could just hear Lee shaking his head.

"No! I decided to go to a museum with Louis instead of going to the boardwalk, right? Which was a really good thing because everyone else is stuck out there but I'm safe and sound at a rest stop-"

Lee cut her off, "But?"

She nervously tapped her leg, "But, I think we're going to have to stay here, alone." Clementine gulped and shot Louis another look.

Silence radiated from the other end, "I can't be mad at you because you didn't mean for this to happen. But please don't do anything irresponsible. You're lucky I trust you, or else you'd be grounded until you move out from the minute you got home."

Relief flooded her body from head to toe, "Good thing we're a team then, and teammates have to trust each other."

"Mhmm, goodnight," Lee already began saying goodbye.

"Goodnight, tell AJ I love him."

"Of course, call me in the morning."

"I will. I love you, bye."

"I love you too Sweetpea, bye," Being released from Lee's phone call felt like a weight was lifted off of her shoulders. It went much better than she expected it would go, but now there was a whole new array of issues.

Louis leaned back in his seat, making sure to plant his line of sight onto Clementine. "What now Clemmy? You seem to have a real knack for this whole leader role." He chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.

She hesitated for a moment, holding her question on the tip of her tongue. "Uh, not to be completely invasive or anything, but do you need to call your parents?"

The boy rubbed his forehead, "No, it's okay. I don't have the same ground rules as you," Louis laughed it off, "But now that we've got that out of the way, mind answering my question?"

Clementine sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, preparing to present her idea. "Hear me out. I saw this video once where these people were living in their car, and they transformed it into a bed. And since we have all the sleeping bags we've got the perfect materials to work with." Louis raised his hand when she finished. "Yes?"

He let his arm fall back to his side, "Can we make a pillow fort?" Spending the rest of the night in a pillow fort with Louis didn't sound half bad. Besides her butt was starting to hurt from all that sitting.

She let him sweat a little bit and pretended to think about it. "Well, we might not- I'm kidding let's do it!" Louis giddily climbed into the back seat and began pulling out all of the sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows they had in their possession. Clem gave herself the task of transforming the car into a bed by stuffing sleeping bags around the dash and leaning back the front seats. After tiresome work, their makeshift fort was complete. And it looked fantastic for that matter.

"She's all done, now we need a name! How about 'Clementine's Creation'? Huh, pretty good?" Louis suggested, she was sure he had a long list of names to choose from. He was probably thinking about it the entire time they were building.

"You flatter me, but I must say this was a team effort." Clementine would probably have to be fine with whatever name he decided on in the end.

Louis fanned away her words, "Just let it happen! This is our house now, okay Sweetpea?" He gave her an oh-so-Louis smile before flopping down onto the bed. The wind outside began to pick up, causing the rain to beat against the windows. Clementine crawled into the fort, attempting to keep some distance between her and the freckled-boy. She could've swore there was nothing she loved more than those messy spots that dotted his skin in arbitrary ways.

"What do we do now? You're the one that talks a lot, I'm sure you've got lots of ideas." Pulling a stray blanket over herself, Clementine curled into a ball while she waited for Louis.

"You think I talk a lot?" Louis inched closer, despite her best efforts to keep a bubble around herself. "Well, in that case. I can think of quite a few things," The boy suggestively raised an eyebrow in a joking manner. Clementine snorted as she pushed him away.

"Oh stop it. Give me some better recommendations Mr. 'I want it to be special'," She grinned when laughter spilled out of Louis' mouth.

"We could question our place in the universe or talk about more personal things that people that have known each other for a week probably shouldn't talk about. The possibilities are endless."

"Yeah, do you wanna watch a movie instead? The Princess and The Frog is great," Clementine smiled at the boy while she pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned the Disney movie on. Louis laid his head in the crook of his elbow as Clementine propped her phone in front of them.

"You're right, that movie is a classic," Louis popped a gummy worm in his mouth while he spoke. If he wasn't careful he was going to choke, especially with that constantly moving mouth of his.

"I knew you were a cartoon fan," Clementine giggled as the famous Disney castle opened the movie.

Louis rolled on his stomach to swing his legs like he was getting ready to gossip, "Guilty as charged, Clemmy-Poo!"

She cringed at her new nickname, how many was he going to give her? "Okay, shh now. The movie's starting."

"You know silence isn't my stro-" Louis tried to butt in.

"Shh," Clementine cut him off before he could talk throughout the entire movie.

The car's temperature began to reflect the weather outside, thankfully they had plenty of blankets to keep them warm. So contently warm, that Clementine couldn't help but drift off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I wasn't expecting on making this chapter so long, but I figured since I gave myself a week per chapter I was going to soak that up. I know there's a lot going on in the world right now, so if you ever need to talk you can reach me on Tumblr @/eyelinermemes. I'm sending my love to all of you, thank you for reading!


	16. Quite Frankly, Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Warning!: This chapter contains violence, so if you're sensitive to that please read with caution :) <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the endnotes! <3

**Louis' POV**

Warmth. The feeling brought Louis back into a conscious state. Something firm laid against his side, snaking onto his chest. Blankets weaved around his entire body, Louis attempted to pull himself up but an unfamiliar weight pushed against him. He finally decided to open his eyes, where he was greeted with a welcoming sight. Clementine.

His curly-haired crush rested her head just below his collarbone, while her arm wrapped around his waist, ending with her hand lightly gripping onto the side of his shirt. There was something so undeniably gorgeous about her, it was like she radiated pure beauty. Louis attempted to relax his body under her hold, nonetheless, there was nothing he could do to stop his racing heart. The urge to trace his fingers over her cheekbones overwhelmed him, as soon as his fingertips touched the peak of her cheek she began to stir. That wasn't a good idea.

But watching her sleep was weird. Well, it wasn't like he could do anything else. On top of that, it would be rude to wake her, and it wasn't like the view was bad. Not bad at all.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

A light, but loud beating noise pulled Clementine out of her peaceful slumber. She attempted to ignore the sound, pulling whatever she was clinging onto closer. It was warm and a little bit soft, not as soft as a pillow but it was comfortable none the less. However, the pounding persisted, becoming even louder than it was when it first awoke her.

Clem rubbed her sleep-filled eyes with a groan as she sat up. When she finally opened them she took in her surroundings. Realizing what, or who for that matter, she was using as a pillow. She pulled whatever limbs still clutched onto the boy away. Louis took the opportunity to sit up straight but made no attempt to put any distance between the pair.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Clem nervously tucked a few loose curls behind her ear as a personal distraction.

Louis put his hands up in defense, "It's okay, we just fell asleep. Unless you were completely aware of what you were doing and couldn't stay away from my strikingly good looks." That might've been part of the problem if she was conscious.

Before Clem had the time to roll her eyes there was a knocking on the driver's side window. To which Louis took the liberty of diving into the front of the car to see who it was. Violet stood by the window with her arms crossed, how did she even find them?

"Finally," She shouted in a relieved tone through the glass.

Louis unlocked the door and Violet climbed into the car. "How did you find us? What time is it? Where did yo-"

Violet put an end to his questions, "You do realize you have your location on? All I had to do was go on the snap-map. And we figured it would be best to regroup somewhere, since you guys made it the furthest that was what we decided on."

Clementine shuffled between the two on her stomach, "So we're going to break into Florida territory today, huh?"

"Why did we have to go to Florida? Why didn't we go to Maine or something?" Louis huffed, she was well aware of his disliking of Florida. At first, she thought it was a joke but she was dead wrong.

"I don't know, maybe because Florida is hot and there are beaches there?" Violet's voice oozed with sarcasm.

The boy shrugged roughly, "Alright I get it, but if the moon falls from the sky and Mitch blows up some national monument it's not going to be my fault."

"Just get ready to go, we're leaving as soon as your car is... driveable," The blonde gestured to the car's interior while she opened the door, leaving the pair alone again. The space Violet left was soon consumed by Sophie.

She leaned into the car, red hair dangling in her face, "Hello my little pretties."

Clementine had already begun rolling up the various sleeping bags scattered around, "Hey Sophie, how was the boardwalk?"

Sophie groaned as she started to help Clementine. "It was rainy and Mitch was bugging me the entire time! Like, what is his issue? I've never given him any reason to bother me, so why do it?"

"You know you like the attention," Clem reached out for the sleeping bag Sophie was holding but the redhead threw it at her as an alternative.

"I do not!" Sophie objected, seemingly appalled.

Clementine clicked her tongue, "Not to point out the obvious, but if you haven't already noticed, Mitch is way nicer to you than anyone else." She'd only seen them interact for four days and there was already an obvious bias.

Louis nodded his head, "She does have a point, Soph." The girl in question glared daggers at him. "It's true!"

Silence panned throughout the car, Sophie's eyes were trained firmly on Louis. However, his eyes nervously shot between the two girls in his presence.

Suddenly Clementine began packing again, "Anyways! Let's hurry up and get to that motel, I'm in desperate need of a shower and the sooner we get to Florida the better."

"Finally something we can agree on," Sophie started rolling another sleeping bag.

"Not all of us," Sophie chose to ignore Louis' pessimistic attitude.

"Listen Lou, maybe you'll have fun. There are plenty of positive possibilities," Clementine tossed the last sleeping bag in the trunk and climbed into the passenger seat, "And if we make this ride quick we can probably make it there before two."

"But I'm hungry, why don't we just go home now?" Louis pouted while he sat his seat up. "I better not become a 'Florida man'."

Sophie buckled up in the back seat, "Just drive Louis, I've got places to be, people to see."

"You mean people like Mitch?" The boy turned around to tease the girl but received a flick to the forehead instead. "Okay, okay. I'm driving, no more Mitch jokes."

* * *

Clem was surprisingly pleased by how well her detour with Louis went. She appreciated the way he was trying to get to know her, and how supportive he was while keeping things lighthearted at the same time. He also didn't seem too revolted while she was sleeping on him. Except she didn't know how he felt about it because she was asleep.

By the time they made it to their hotel in Florida, also known as their home for the next two days, Louis was less than pleased. Their check-in went smoothly and they settled nicely into their two rooms, both equipped with two queen beds and a pull-out couch. It was a bit warmer than Clementine was comfortable with but Minnie's excited energy rubbed off on Clem. In all honesty, she was just happy to finally be able to take a shower and sleep in a bed.

But you know what they say, never a dull moment. "We should pull some shenanigans tonight," Sophie meddled while tucking a sheet over a corner of the pull-out couch she was going to share with Clem.

"What do you have in mind?" Clementine grinned back at her friend.

The redhead tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Well, I was hoping you would have an idea?"

Ruby walked in from the main bedroom, "How about a little gator hunting?" Clementine chuckled lightly at the suggestion.

"That's perfect!" Sophie's exclamation immediately triggered both Ruby and Clem's faces to fall flat.

It took Ruby completely off guard, "I- I was kidding sugar."

"Obviously, but why not? We could just go find an alligator and leave," Sophie shrugged while she spoke.

"No offense dollface, but maybe you should stay in and do some drawing instead." Ruby reassuringly rubbed Sophie's arm.

"Come on it'll be fun!" Sophie pleaded with the girls, she was definitely related to Minerva.

"Yeah, because being mauled by an alligator seems like a great time," Clem sided with Ruby on the topic.

* * *

"How did we end up here," Brody grumpily shoved through a bush in the wetland they were trekking through. She had a point, how did they allow Sophie to convince them to go on her little excursion?

"What's the protocol for finding a crocodilian?" Louis stumbled over a root on the path, smoothly planting himself next to Clementine.

"Ugh, I have to pee," Sophie began to whine.

"This was your idea, you have no right to complain," Aasim grumbled, he was one of the people who protested the idea the most. In the end, everyone decided to go since it was better than sitting around at the hotel.

"Just go in the bushes," Mitch gave his suggestion.

Sophie stopped in her tracks, "I can't go alone! What if there's some wild man out there?"

Minnie sighed before walking over to her sister and prodding her into the shrubbery. "I'll go with you," She turned back to the group, "Don't move." With that, she walked away with Sophie.

The group waited for a few minutes, falling into scattered conversations. Screams broke everyone out of their cordial discussions, followed by Minnie and Sophie running out of the bushes.

"Fucking snake!" Just as Sophie spat out the words she tripped over a branch, landing with a loud thunk. "Ouch, dammit."

Mitch gravitated towards her quickly, prompting Louis and Clementine to share a smirk. "Are you okay?" He offered Sophie a hand, which she accepted without hesitation. Louis raised his eyebrows and winked at Clem.

"Where did the snake go?" Brody subconsciously scooted closer to Clementine. Apparently the newbies were used as human shields.

Sophie pulled her hand away from Mitch's the second she made it back on her feet. "I don't know, but I think my gator hunting days are over for now." She glanced back at Mitch who stood awkwardly by her side, "Uh, thanks."

The group deflated, mainly in relief. "Seriously, we just came all the way out here and we don't even get to see an alligator?" Aasim deadpanned.

"Hey, I'm not complaining. Spending the rest of our evening poolside sounds fine by me," Brody already began turning back towards their cars.

Ruby followed close behind, "That sure was fun. Maybe next time we'll try something a little tamer so we can succeed." Once the group found their way back to the random side road they parked on, Louis and Clementine stacked into his car and waited for Sophie. The girl in question slid into the backseat shortly after.

Sophie put up a hand before the pair could say anything, "Don't, just don't. I know what you're thinking."

"Aw, come on Soph. There's no denying it," Louis grinned back at her.

Sophie narrowed her eyes, "You wouldn't want me to slip twice in one day, would you Louis?" What was that supposed to mean? Clem's suspicion raised when Louis flinched forward again.

Clementine laughed nervously, "How about we just get back to the hotel?"

"G- good idea," Louis turned on the car and began to drive to their temporary home.

"Are you excited for our beach day tomorrow?" Clem worked towards changing the subject.

"Yeah, I'm excited for a shark to bite off my legs," Grumbled an unhappy Louis.

Sophie leaned forward, "Not to jump ahead too far, but I'm excited about school starting again. We're going to be seniors!"

Part of Clementine was excited to 'grow up', but another part dreaded adulthood. It meant leaving Lee and AJ behind while she went to college and potentially drifting away from any friends she made over the years.

"Does Ericson's have a lot of school spirit? You know, like the whole paint your face sorta thing?" Louis let out a deep laugh at Clem's question.

"I wouldn't say that. I mean except for when it comes to the baseball team of course," The boy threw in another wink.

Sophie blew a raspberry, "Don't listen to him, Louis just likes to boast about the only sport he's ever played. We have plenty of spirit, especially when it comes to football. Everyone comes since there's not much to do unless you plan on leaving town."

"I didn't know you play baseball?" Clementine leaned back in her seat to get a better view of Louis. He did look kinda like a baseball player.

Louis clicked his tongue, "Yeah, I'm only the best player on the team."

His statement prompted Sophie to laugh, "I think you mean the best musician in the band. Forget baseball, Clem. Louis is multitalented when it comes to his music skills."

"Why am I just hearing about all of this now? I mean I know about the piano but there's more? I'm disappointed Louis," Shaking her head lightly as she spoke, Clem allowed herself to smile at the boy.

Louis glanced at her, reciprocating Clem's smile, "Listen, I'll take any chance I can get to talk about how great I am. But I didn't think I was that interesting to other people."

Sophie turned to Clementine, "This is why we don't give him any praise, it inflates his ego." It was too bad, Louis certainly deserved it. The trio pulled into the motel parking lot, Clementine was finally going to get her shower.

Brody, Violet, Minnie, and Louis decided to spend the rest of their night poolside, while Aasim, Mitch, Ruby, and Sophie set out to grab dinner. Leaving Clementine with a quiet space to enjoy her warm shower.

So far she was genuinely enjoying her time on the trip. It was beyond her expectations to be so warmly welcomed into such a close-knit group of friends, especially one that was full of great people. And with great people came Louis, who was technically her first friend in her new home. He accepted her with open arms, quite literally for that matter. It was growing more and more difficult to deny her feelings for him.

Originally Clem expected that spending such large amounts of time with him would force her to push him away. Like when you spend too much time with a friend and start to annoy each other. Unfortunately, that didn't exactly happen. Louis was nothing but respectful and understanding, seeing him alone was completely different than being in a group with him. He was still playful and funny, but there was also a more mature side that she didn't see when he was around the others.

Clem couldn't see how a guy like Louis didn't have girls falling at his feet. Well maybe he did, maybe Louis already had feelings for somebody else. It wasn't like he was required to tell everyone all the details of his life, she frowned. Oh well, shower thoughts.

* * *

By the next morning, their beach day had arrived. Also meaning that tomorrow they were going to begin their course back home. Although arriving at the beach together, the group completely dispersed. Minnie, Sophie, and Louis were in the water, Clem watched as the twins splashed Louis who was already reluctant to get in.

Aasim and Ruby sat side by side both reading books, they really were a good match. Ruby was more outgoing than Aasim, but that was a good thing since someone needed to oversee whatever they had going on. Leaving Mitch alone by the shore to skip rocks. Clem, Brody, and Violet guarded their supplies and relaxed in the hot Florida sun

Now was a better time than never to bring up the topic that'd been ingrained into Clem's memory, "How've you been Brody? We haven't talked much about... y'know." Clementine was careful not to overstep her boundaries.

It looked like a storm was raging in Brody's mind, "I don't know." She paused, "I feel like I miss him sometimes, like really miss him. But I also can't shake what he did. I thought he loved me, but I don't feel very loved right now. Well, at least not in that way."

Violet rolled onto her stomach to get a good look at the girl. "Brody if you ever go back to him I will kick your ass myself."

"But what if it was a mistake? Not to mention it kinda divides our group in half. Marlon is Louis' best friend, and I know you don't get along with him but almost everyone else does." Brody wrapped her arms around her knees.

"'Mistake' or not, it was his fault that he did something shitty to you. I'm pretty sure everyone is on your side here, just because people are friends with him doesn't mean they think what Marlon did was right. Louis thinks it's fucked up too, I know he hates seeing you hurt just as much as we do," Violet worked towards persuading her auburn-haired friend.

"Let him come to you first and apologize. If he doesn't, then I think you have your answer, even if you don't deserve it. And to be perfectly clear, you don't owe him anything. None of this is your fault, you weren't the reason for Marlon doing that. He made that decision all on his own," Clementine pointed her finger at Brody.

She smiled in return, "Thanks, Clem. Have you ever thought about being a therapist?"

Violet snorted, "What about me? I helped too."

Brody tapped her chin, "I think a great career path for you would be scaring people into getting over their fears."

After copying Brody in a way-too-high voice, Violet finally came up with an actual response, "That's basically the same thing as a therapist!"

"Anyways," Brody rolled her eyes, "How are things with Louis? Anything juicy you wanna tell us about?"

Clem shook her head, "Nothing you guys don't already know about."

Violet looked towards the crew splashing around in the water. "You two would be good together. Louis deserves someone like you." She turned back towards the girls, appearing internally flustered. "He's been through a lot of shit and deserves a little happiness in his life."

Sophie must have loose lips when it comes to her best friends, "What if I can't give that to him?"

Brody smirked, "So you want to?" Maybe Sophie didn't tell anyone. Clementine's face dropped.

"I didn't say that," Crossing her arms, Clem turned away from the girls. Only to witness the boy they were gossiping about walking closer, trailing just behind Sophie and Minnie. Louis smiled when he caught Clem's eye, her heart might've stopped for a second.

Sophie flopped down next to Brody and began to tug a shirt over her head, "I was gonna go over to the concessions area, does anyone wanna come with?" Perfect timing to get out of Violet and Brody's claws.

"Sure, I could go for a quick snack," Clem stood to follow Sophie, Louis tagged along with the pair. Cool water rushed over their ankles as they walked down the beach, making their way to the various food tents. Along their trek, they came across Mitch. The boy was still skipping rocks across the water's surface, he was shockingly good at it too.

"What're you guys doing?" Mitch flicked a final rock before turning to the trio.

Louis stepped closer to the boy, "Woah, can you teach me how to do that?"

A familiar unamused expression flashed across Mitch's face, "Maybe later." Clementine could tell he was a bit modest about receiving compliments.

"We're grabbing something to eat, you can come if you want," Sophie was already continuing her pace down the beach.

"Welcome to the team Mitch, it's an honor to have you here," Louis elbowed the boy.

"Uh, thanks for having me," Clem liked Mitch when he was being nice.

Once they made it to the various food stands, Clem and Louis branched off from Sophie and Mitch on the hunt for something sweet. Everything was going peachy until they attempted to regroup. Louis and Clem struggle to stay connected as they weaved through the dense crowd.

He reached his hand back towards the girl, Clem stared at him in confusion. Louis shook it towards her, "Hold my hand, it'll be easier." Clem couldn't tell if the sun's heat was making her flushed or if it was Louis. Either way, she didn't mind, it was a better alternative to getting lost. Clem wrapped her fingers around Louis' palm and allowed him to lead the way.

Unfortunately, by the time they found Sophie, it wasn't exactly the sight that they were looking for. The girl was uncomfortably sandwiched between a wall and an unknown man who seemed too close for her comfort. He didn't seem too much older than them, but he definitely wasn't in high school. Probably a college frat boy by the looks of it. Clementine didn't hesitate to approach the pair and Sophie seemed relieved by that.

"Excuse me, my friend and I need to get going now," Sophie whispered as grasped Clementine's arm, timidly pulling herself behind her savior.

However, the man didn't falter and took a step towards the girls, "You're going so soon? I've got friends if that's the problem here," He winked at the girls.

"She said we're leaving, so we're leaving. I'm not interested in any of your meathead friends." Clementine sneered, Louis kept a small distance between himself and the group.

Even with Clementine's rejection he still pushed on, "Oh come on, we'll show you gals a good time."

Clementine wrapped her fingers around Sophie's, "Honestly, we're dating. So we'll just be on our way."

The stranger stepped into the girl's path, leaning slightly closer, "Even better." He reached out and grabbed onto Sophie's wrist.

Mitch rounded a corner and spotted the group, meeting them swiftly to size up his potential competition. "Hey, back off man. Aren't you a little too old to be hitting on high school girls?" He attempted to pull Sophie away from the stranger's grip.

The man smirked, "High school means almost eighteen." Before Clem knew it, Mitch punched him straight in the jaw. Sophie nearly jumped out of her skin before she fully shoved herself behind Clementine.

"You little shit!" Mitch's victim shouted before tackling the boy. Clem backed up with her arms out in a defensive barrier around Sophie. The stranger attempted to beat on Mitch, luckily he held his arms tightly around his head.

"Louis do something!" On the verge of tears, Sophie practically blubbered out her words.

Louis shook his head quickly, "I've never been in a fight before! Do you want me to bruise my beautiful face?" The redhead glared daggers at him, "Okay, fine but if I end up in the hospital it's on you!" A crowd had already begun to build up as Louis made his way to the pair on the ground. He looked conflicted at first but opted to grab the man's wrist before he could bring it down on Mitch again. Unfortunately, the rest of Louis' body was completely unprotected which lead to a powerful punch to his gut. Louis instantaneously hunched over in pain.

Clem pulled her bag from across her shoulder and handed it to Sophie, "Hold my shit." Her friend shakily gripped her bag, sending Clementine into battle. Despite Mitch's best efforts, the stranger had the upper hand. Up until Clem shot a strong kick into his stomach sending the man to stumble backward. Mitch took the time Clem gave him to stand up.

"Theo, what the hell are you doing?" Another male voice pushed through the crowd, stumbling next to his (presumed) friend. The new stranger hunched down next to 'Theo' to help him back up. On the opposing side of the clearing Clementine and Mitch stood side by side, the boy's cheek was bleeding and he already had a few bruises forming.

"This teenage dirtbag wannabe decked me for hitting on some chick," He spat out, quite literally.

Mitch didn't even flinch as a wad of spit landed next to his foot, "And I'd do it again, dickhead." Theo wasn't having Mitch's attitude and decided to spring towards Mitch again, talk about impulse control issues. Thankfully Mitch was prepared and stood a chance against the older man this time around.

Clem took a step towards Sophie but was stopped directly afterward by someone grabbing a fistful of her hair, "Where the hell do you think you're going, princess?" Theo's friend drawled out. He pulled her closer, having almost full control over her body when another force nearly knocked both of them over.

Once she was released from the man's grip she realized Louis jumped on her assailants back. She almost couldn't hold back her laughter as she watched her lanky friend hold on for dear life while the man tried to shake him off. Eventually, they both fell to the ground, Clem couldn't tell if it was for the theatrics but Louis rolled a couple of times. As soon as Louis was done rolling Clementine jogged to his side to help him onto his feet.

The density of the crowd continued to grow and Mitch was thrown to the ground again. Clem looked for an easy escape route, but it would be impossible to leave with Mitch in the middle of a fight with a man-baby. Practically reading her mind, Sophie ran towards the pair tussling on the ground, kicking a heap of sand into Theo's eyes before swinging Clem's bag at his head. Her dramatic flair was their escaping point.

After getting propping Mitch back up, the group booked it. Louis and Clem practically carried their beaten hero to Louis' car where they safely locked the doors.

Sophie was the first one to speak, "Why the hell did you do that?" She shouted at the bloodied boy while she blotted at his wounds with fast-food napkins.

He roughly flinched away from her, "Fuck Sophie! Why do you think I just got the shit beat out of myself for you?" Louis shot Clementine an uncomfortable glance, it was apparent that they both felt uncomfortable listening in on their conversation.

"Listen," Sophie's voice began to crack, "You can't let your stupid crush on me dictate your own wellbeing! You could've got seriously hurt, or worse!" The car filled with a tense silence, Louis looked like he was trying to be swallowed by his seat.

"I could've been hurt? What if nobody came to help you?" Mitch shouted back at the girl. "God Soph, don't cry. We're all okay, you know I hate seeing you cry." They must've had some deeper history than Mitch's crush on the girl. Clementine did her best to block out their conversation but it was hard when they were all within five-feet of one another.

"I'm sorry," Shuffling noises fluttered from the backseat, "Your feelings aren't stupid. Just don't do that again!" A solid shoving noise punctuated Sophie's request.

"Jeez, way to add salt to the wound. I've gotta have a few bruised ribs already," Clem could practically hear the smile in Mitch's voice. Maybe she wouldn't have to do as much matchmaking as she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my beautiful readers! I'm sorry I took so long to publish this chapter. Recently I've had a lot going on, and quite frankly I'm not doing so well. I think it'll be for the best if I take a small break, don't worry though! I have no intention of taking more than a week off, this story will be finished and I even hope to write a sequel in the future (which won't be for a VERY long time). In my time off I'll likely revamp chapters 5, 6, and possibly 7. I truly appreciate each and every one of you so much, I probably wouldn't be motivated to write if it weren't for your kind comments!
> 
> Also, I'm so sorry if any of you live in Florida and this is wildly inaccurate!!!


	17. Time Flies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of mentally abusive relationships

** Clem's POV **

After their... incident, Sophie, Clem, Mitch, and Louis decided it would be best if they spent the rest of their day elsewhere. As in, somewhere more private like the motel. Clementine made a beeline for the girl's room and flopped onto the pullout couch, riddled with exhaustion. The digital lock on the door beeped behind her, followed by light footsteps.

"That was pretty badass Clem," Sophie landed next to Clementine, prompting the brunette to release a chuckle.

"Thanks, I've taken my fair share of self-defense classes. Y'know, the works," Opening her eyes as she spoke, Clem spotted her friend who was wordlessly playing with the sheet. "What's up?"

Sophie shrugged, "I don't know. Mitch is always doing these wildly nice things for me and I never know what to do."

Clementine took a second to think about how she was going to approach the subject, "Do you think you'd ever give him a chance?"

The redhead slumped into the couch with a sigh, "I don't know! Ugh, I really don't know! I'm pretty sure the only reason he likes me is because we kissed once, then he kinda just stuck around." The air in the room lingered with silence while Clem processed her friend's statement. 

"Hold on, a minute. When did you kiss? How have I not heard about this?" Everyone in their group loved to spill each other's secrets, actually, maybe they just liked to see Louis squirm.

Running a hand through her hair Sophie groaned, "Like a year ago maybe, it kinda spurred of the moment. My grandma had just passed away and he was having a party, I got hammered. I was all over the place, but then Mitch took me to his room and sat with me. All I remember is kissing him and then he rejected me because I was drunk, but he still didn't leave."

Once Sophie stopped, Clementine waited for her to finish the story. She felt like a little girl being read a fairytale, "Then what happened?"

"He's just stuck around, I think he liked me before but then I did that and he thought I felt the same way. I just can't let him get closer, I don't know why. Maybe I'm scared, worried that after this year everything we've been through will be completely meaningless to him." The redhead's usual confident disposition faded.

Clem gripped Sophie's shoulders, "Well, it sounds like you like him too, take the risk. He's liked you for over a year now, nothing is holding you back. Even if things change when you part ways, you'll probably regret not doing something sooner."

"Okay! Maybe I will when we're done here, but it's your turn to get grilled now! Louis practically tackled some guy for you, that's gotta mean something. I mean he chose you over Mitch, which if you haven't already noticed, was getting plundered," Sophie gestured to the room on the other side of the wall.

"Oh please! I've only been here for two weeks, there's no way he likes me, of all people, already," Clementine rolled her eyes while shaking her head. 

"I watched this show where people talked for like a week without knowing what the other person looked like, a lot of them fell in love. I think it's okay to have a crush on someone you've known for two weeks," Sophie grinned.

"I just don't want to move too fast, even if sometimes I get ahead of myself. The last relationship I was in didn't end too well, I always let myself get too comfortable. I trusted him more than I should have and he used everything I told him against me." Clem realized she might've been oversharing and paused.

"What do you mean?" Sophie leaned closer to Clementine.

The brunette fiddled with her hands nervously. Although being proud of making it out of her mentally abusive relationship, sometimes it was difficult to talk about what she endured. "He manipulated me, and almost everything I did at any chance he got. I couldn't wear what I wanted to wear, I couldn't hang out with this person because they did this thing, or I was betraying him. He threatened to tell people my secrets, which aren't even that bad but I felt trapped. Not to mention it's not easy getting out of relationships like that. Well eventually, it began to drive all my friends away. Except for Sarah and Duck, they finally got me out of that."

"Clem, I'm so sor-" Her friend began to speak.

Waving a hand at her friend, Clem cut her off"It's okay, it helped me grow. I know when I'm being mistreated now, and my standards are much higher," A brief paused panned out, "Go take care of your Mitch business, I'm sure he needs some assistance."

Sophie stood slowly, playing with her fingers like Tenn often did, "Alright, wish me luck Clementine." The redhead made her way towards the door, throwing a final look over her shoulder before leaving. 

* * *

** Louis' POV **

After being kicked out of his room by Sophie, Louis went off on an adventure to find his favorite curly-haired girl. There was nothing wrong with checking up on his drop-dead gorgeous friend. It took him a while to locate the girl, but after five minutes of hunting, he found her on the balcony attached to the girl's motel room. Clem allowed her feet to dangle through the bars while she looked down onto the pool, her dark hair fell loosely over her shoulders. Louis slid down slowly next to the girl, clearly startling her. 

A comfortable silence filled the air between them, but Louis let his racing mind get the best of him, "Are you okay?" Ever since he witnessed that wannabe frat boy practically trying to rip her head off, it was the only thing he could think about. 

She turned towards him, doe-eyed with somewhat sun-burnt cheeks. "I'm fine. Maybe I've got a little headache, possibly a bruised shin. But compared to Mitch I got off easy."

"That was cool what you did back there, like really cool," Louis grinned at his friend but deflated while thinking about the chain of events. "I'm sorry I didn't step in sooner."

Clem gently placed her hand on top of his, keeping her eyes firmly trained onto the boy "You tried your best to help. It's okay that you were nervous, and maybe even scared, I was too. But when I needed you the most, you were there. And that's all that matters to me." 

There was nothing he could do to hide the blush burning at his cheeks, both from the physical contact and mental connection, "Glad to be of service."

Unfortunately, Clem decided to pull her hand away, leaving Louis with a missing warmth that he'd obtained more than once. "Speaking of which, how are you doing? That Theo guy got a good swing in on you."

Louis placed his hands gingerly on his stomach, he's be lying if he said it didn't hurt at least a little bit, "I'll live, all in a days work of being a pretty girl's undercover bodyguard." The bit about her being pretty spilled out, but what could he possibly do it was bound to come out eventually?

The girl slowly leaned closer to him, Louis felt the butterflies in his stomach cause an uproar. _Are we about to kiss right now? No, don't say that._ Before he could ask any questions, Clem was blowing on his cheek. She pulled back with a laugh after seeing Louis' confused expression. 

"You had an eyelash. I took your wish, sorry," Louis dubiously nodded at her apology. "Oh and thank you Louis, I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there." Clem carefully pushed a stray dread out of Louis' face before standing up and walking back into her room. If a person's existence could bring Louis to tears, it would be Clementine's.

* * *

** Clem's POV **

Within the next couple of days, the group had made it home. There was always something so offbeat about the trip home, it was quieter and unfamiliar watching the scenery you passed before. Everything was unrecognizable but somehow acquainted at the same time. The only thing that changed was the number of members in their car. 

After Sophie told Mitch how she felt he was elated, over the moon, ecstatic, whatever term you want to use. It was like he was a completely different person now. Watching the way Sophie blissfully clung onto Mitch filled Clementine with delight. Even though Sophie was weary about the relationship at first, Clem could tell it lifted a weight off of her shoulders.

Clementine and Louis didn't share as much alone time on the way home. They made no extra trips away from the group, and their conversation on the balcony was probably the last time they were truly alone together. Louis was visibly just as happy about Mitch and Sophie's relationship as she was. Or maybe he was just excited to relentlessly tease them.

Even if Clem was sad about their road trip coming to an end, she couldn't wait until she got back to Lee and AJ. It felt even better once she was back in Lee's arms while he firmly embraced her in a hug, AJ didn't wait to take his turn and opted to latching his arms around Clem's waist. 

"I missed you so much, Clem. It was so hot and boring, all I could do was sit here and watch tv," AJ pouted as he removed himself from the hug.

Clementine spared a brief glance over her shoulder at Louis before crouching down to AJ. "Well, I'm home now. And before you know it we'll be back in school. So you'll have lots more to do."

AJ visibly deflated, "But I don't want to go to school, it's so boring!"

Lee walked past Clementine until he was face to face with Louis, "I see you brought my daughter back in one piece." Clem turned towards her friend to shoot him an apologetic smile.

Louis straightened his back, "Yes sir, without a hair out of place." She couldn't help but roll her eyes at his statement.

"Thank you, I'm glad she has a _friend_ like you," Louis looked a bit taken off guard by Lee's sentiment. 

Her friend lightly nodded his head, "It's my pleasure sir." He fiddled with his fingers before speaking again, "Well, I should be on my way now. I'll see you on Monday, Clem." 

The realization of how much she liked-liked her freckled friend hit her at full force when he began to walk away. She'd just got done spending the past week by his side, spilling her heart out to him, fighting Florida men, singing pop songs in his car. The list could go on for ages, but the bottom line was that she didn't want him to leave.

"B-bye Louis, drive safe," Clem kicked herself for stuttering. _Drive safe_? He literally just spent the last week driving her across the east coast.

Louis softly smiled back, "I will for you Clemmy." With that, he shut his door and began his journey home.

Lee stood with his hands on his hips and turned to Clem after watching Louis drive down the street, "That boy better watch his mouth, he's on thin ice."

"Louis is nice, I like him," AJ crossed his arms before leading the rest of his family inside.

* * *

** Louis' POV **

Not seeing Clementine's beautiful face for the next few days was going to tear him apart. He'd grown quite accustomed to her gentle laughter and soothing smiles. But he couldn't help but be a tad bit envious of her loving home life. Clementine was surrounded by love, which she fully deserved. In Louis' case, it felt like his parents never stopped arguing. He liked it best when his mom was at home with him, they were happier when his dad was gone. When the entire household was home, it seemed like he was walking on eggshells.

Much to Louis' satisfaction, when he pulled into their overpriced driveway his mother's car was the only one taking up space. Seeing his mom was the first thing he wanted to do after his long trip. Louis had to admit, he was a momma's boy. It wasn't like he had much of a choice after taking a look at his father. 

As soon as he walked inside, Louis immediately set foot to find his beloved mother. He found her laying on their large leather sectional, watching some sitcom on TV. 

"Hey, momma!" Louis swooped down to catch his mom in a hug, which she reciprocated graciously. 

"Hi baby, how was your trip? Did you have fun with your friends?" His mother placed a hand lovingly onto his cheek, drawing him in with her faint French accent.

Louis couldn't help but lean into her touch, "Of course momma, I had a gr-"

"What did I tell you about acting like a child Louis?" His father's daunting voice sounded over his shoulder, prompting Louis to pull away any connection from his mom. "And you Odette, haven't you babied him enough?" As soon as Louis' father entered the room all of the energy faded away.

"S-Sorry, sir. I didn't think you were home," Avoiding eye-contact, Louis murmured out his words. 

Odette gripped Louis' arm comfortingly, "He's our son, Arthur. Why don't you welcome him home?"

Arthur straightened his tie before making his way towards the front door, "Welcome back, Louis."

A brief silence hung in the room around Louis and his mom. His father always found a way to make Louis feel like a scared little boy. Despite sharing some of his physical features with his son, Arthur was nothing like the boy. Louis' mother told him about times that he wasn't so cold, but as the saying goes, 'you can be rich, or you can be happy, but you can't be both'. Unfortunately, Arthur chose to be rich and happy in his own way. Seemingly, being happy in his way didn't include Louis or Odette. Instead, it included prostitutes and VIP rooms in strip clubs.

A light tugging at his arm pulled Louis from his thoughts, "Come, sit, tell me about your trip. Did you have any trouble?" Odette questioned her son. Louis chuckled softly in remembrance of his night with Clementine and the fight he jumped into. Maybe telling his mom he got into a fight wasn't the best thing to do.

"There was this one time when I wanted to go to a museum, my friend said she'd come with me. On the way back my tire popped while it was raining and we had to stop. We ended up sleeping in my car because I couldn't see anything" Louis lightly smiled in reminiscence, he missed Clementine already.

A small smirk played at his mother's lips as she raised an eyebrow, "Who is this 'friend' of yours?"

Louis didn't miss a beat, "Her name is Clementine, she just moved across the street from Marlon a couple weeks ago. She's nice and smart! Not to mention she has these gorgeous eyes, I swear they're like amber, mom." When Louis redirected his gaze onto his mother she was smiling at him softly, "What?"

Odette raised a hand to her son's cheek again, "Nothing sweetness, how about you head on up to bed. I'll have Val make us some waffles tomorrow morning so we can catch up more."

"Okay, I love you, momma. Goodnight," Louis made his way to his room after placing a kiss on the top of his mom's head. 

* * *

** Clem's POV **

The days leading up to school moved at a snail's pace. The group didn't invite Clem to any more outings, granted that they weren't exactly doing much together either. With Lee planning his lessons, Clem stepped up to help AJ get ready for his first day. In addition to helping her younger brother, she also did various chores around the house and made dinner a couple of nights to make up for Lee's absence.

Keeping in touch with her friends was fairly easy considering they added her to their group chat. Marlon was still in it but he hadn't said anything since she'd joined. Clem would've thought he fell off of the face of the earth if she didn't see him leaving in his car every day. Louis didn't come around as much either, his parents must have been home. But he did offer her a ride on the first day, which she graciously obliged to seeing as she would have to take the bus otherwise.

When the beginning of senior year finally rolled around, Clementine was a nervous wreck. She was unsure why that was the case, but it was happening regardless. Maybe from lack of sleep from her constant tossing and turning from the night before, whatever the reason, Clem made a point of adding some Rescue Remedy to her coffee.

Settling on a comfortable cotton dress for her first impression outfit, Clementine went on with the rest of her morning routine until her favorite freckled boy arrived. Once she received Louis' arrival text, Clem woke up AJ and made sure he was getting ready by the time she left. As soon as she opened the front door Louis' familiar jeep came into sight, the dread-headed boy stared at her with his signature toothy smile. Clementine walked to the boy's car and climbed into the passenger seat. 

"You look nice today, are you going somewhere special?" Louis chuckled as he put his car into gear and began to pull away from her driveway.

"Am I overdressed? Should I get changed? I wouldn't wanna show up looking like I'm about to go to a middle school dance," Clem brushed at the dress which was currently bringing her distress. 

Her seriousness caught Louis slightly off-guard, "No, I was kidding. You look great, spectacular even. You're gonna knock everyone's socks off."

Clem's shoulders remained tense until Louis placed his hand carefully on top of the one closest to him. The boy rubbed a reassuring pattern onto her upper back before directing his full attention back onto the road. 

"They're gonna love you Clemmy, don't worry. Besides, I'll be there. And uh so will everyone else, you've got plenty of people to turn to in case you need a little help. Chin up darlin'," Louis softly lifted the bottom of her chin.

"How are you always so confident?" The boy laughed at her question.

"To be perfectly honest, fake it 'till you make it. And sweetpea, I made it," Louis threw in a wink at the end of his statement while he pulled into the school's parking lot.

Clem yanked down the mirror above her seat to fuss over her appearance more, Louis scoffed at her before pushing the mirror back up. 

He placed his hands on her shoulders with a light shake, "Clem, you look amazing come on. Let's go so I can show you around." 

"Yeah, okay. Okay, let's do this. I've got this," Clementine manifested while she climbed out of the car and allowed the boy to lead her to the school's entrance. As she mentioned before, the first day is always the scariest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for all of the time jumps! I hope this chapter was easy enough to follow, I was kinda bouncing all over. 
> 
> Also, I'm almost done with school! Which means I'll be able to write more frequently.
> 
> Thank you so much for your support! <3


	18. Counting Classes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ericson's gang faces their last first day of school.

** Clem's POV **

Louis led Clem through the twisting halls like it was nothing, why such a small town needed a school that size boggled her mind. Clementine never allowed her hand to leave Louis' backpack, worried that if she let go she'd start drowning in the sea of students. Along the way, she received several dirty looks, probably for the proximity between her and their self-proclaimed baseball star. Clem couldn't blame them for being jealous though, Louis was a pretty special guy. He was nice and he dressed well, that's already a killer combo. Their time together came to an end when the warning bell rang, Louis walked Clem to her first-period class before booking it to his own. 

Thankfully the boy had instilled some form of confidence in Clem by showing her the exact path to each of her classes. But the second she entered the classroom all of that false confidence immediately left her system. Clementine could practically feel the sets of eyes burning into her, she felt like an overly nervous freshman all over again. 

_Relax Clem, just find your seat, sit down, and pray that you don't have to do icebreakers._ Fortunately for Clem, the seating chart was etched onto the whiteboard at the front of the class. Avoiding eye contact, Clementine made her way down her row before sliding into her desk. The eyes boring into her weren't exactly easy to ignore but she did her best. A sudden tapping at Clem's shoulder broke her out of her uncomfortable state.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just haven't seen you around, is it your first year here?" Clementine's peer lightly interrogated, her headphones sliding down the back of her neck.

"H-Hi, um yeah I just moved here about a month ago," Clem nervously tapped her fingers against the surface in front of her. 

Her classmate gave her a thumbs up, "Cool, then I guess we can help each other here! I'm actually a junior but I'm taking a few classes a year early. Mainly to piss my brother off, but don't tell him that! Oh, duh, my name is Mariana, but my friends call me Mari."

Clem reached a towards Mariana, receiving a shake back, "Clementine, it's nice you meet you."

"What class do you have next? Maybe we'll have it together," Mari offered.

Looking over her schedule, Clem couldn't help but smile at the class she had with Louis. He'd already taken the liberty of circling it several times and writing his name next to it, having the extra comfort in her final class would be a great way to end her day.

"Looks like I have English with Mr. Tormy," Clementine looked up from her schedule.

"Great! I have him too, I've heard he's a pretty laid-back teacher," The final bell rang just as Mariana got out her sentence.

The rest of the class period went on fairly smoothly. Maybe her first-period teacher wasn't the nicest guy ever, but he allowed coffee in class and didn't waste any time getting started. Above all else, Clementine didn't have to think of a 'fun fact' about herself. What even classifies a fun fact? _I like to color, I have a pet bird, I got held back for three years since I couldn't pass the first grade._

Needless to say, by the end of class Clementine still got turned around in the hallways, even with Louis' help. Mariana didn't exactly know her way around the senior halls either. Somehow they made it on time, but when the pair finally arrived the room was thick with tension. Apparently, she had this class with Brody... and Marlon. 

Mr. Tormy turned to the girls with a smile, " Morning girls, sit where ever you want. But please be responsible and choose somewhere you can work."

Clementine's eyes landed right onto Brody's pleading gaze and found herself walking towards her friend. She looked exhausted, but not in a sleep-deprived way, just completely and totally emotionally drained.

"Hey, Brody," Clem endearingly greeted the girl. "This is Mari, I met her in first period. Mind if we sit?"

Brody smiled kindly, "Please do! It's nice to meet you, Mari." How Marlon could ever hurt someone as caring and beautiful as Brody baffled Clementine nearly every day. It almost physically pained her to see Brody's smile crack when she heard Marlon's voice, even from a short distance away.

"Nice to meet you too. My brother is supposed to be here but I wouldn't be surprised if he's already skipping. I guess his rebellious phase from freshman year never really ended," Mariana rolled her eyes.

"Oh, who's your brot-" Brody began to question before she was interrupted.

"Mariana, what are you doing here?" A boy of the same completion as Mari approached the table group, attempting to keep his voice hushed.

"Gabe, I don't know how many times I've told you we have classes together this year. Why are you _still_ wearing that hat, it's not even cold outside?" Mari folded her arms over her chest before turning back to Clementine and Brody. The beanie-wearing boy sat down in the seat next to Mariana and across from Clem, looking slightly out of place and alarmed. 

Clem nearly forgot that everybody knew everybody before Brody greeted the boy, "Hi Gabe, how was your summer?"

"Pretty boring, nothing special happened," Gabe paused and trained his gaze on Clementine. "Who are you?" She hadn't been greeted like that yet, but it sure beat the vacant stares.

"Clementine," Her voice came out cooly in comparison to his attitude.

"Don't be rude, Gabe," Mari sister deadpanned at him.

"I wasn't being rude," Gabe instantly rebutted. The siblings continued to bicker in the remaining seconds leading up to class starting.

Throughout the entire lesson, Clem couldn't help but notice Brody's silence in contrast to the siblings constant grumbling. The auburn-haired girl slumped slightly in her seat, holding her hand on her forehead. It must have been difficult for her to be in the same room as the 'man' who cheated on her. 

In their situation, there wasn't much she could do. In an attempt to comfort Brody, Clem gave her hand a light squeeze. The girl reciprocated with a faint smile before turning her attention back to the teacher. 

For the rest of the lesson, they went over the grading rubric, the classroom rules, and whatever else he was droning on about. As nice as Mr. Tormy was, he sure knew how to talk. When class finally ended Clem followed Brody towards the cafeteria with Mariana trailing close behind.

"Are you eating with us today Clem?" Brody questioned over her shoulder.

"Of course, who else would I eat with? The random strangers staring at me?" Clementine turned to speak to her new friend. "What about you Mari? Do you have lunch the same period as us?"

"Oh, um yeah. But I usually eat with my other friends, thank you for the invite though!" Mari began to part away from the girls with a wave. "I'll see you around!" The remaining duo continued their route down the hallway.

Clementine couldn't help but poke at the situation, as per usual. "You doing okay, Brody? It's always hard seeing an ex, but I've never had someone cheat on me." 

"I could be better, but I'll get used to it," Brody shot a reassuring smile towards Clem. "I'm more worried about lunch than anything unless we end up getting sat next to each other in one of our classes."

"Brody, Clementine!" Ruby's southern dialect bounced towards the girls as she weaved her way through the crowd towards her friends. Receiving a few groans, to which she glared in return.

"Hi, Ruby! You look cute today," Clem complimented her friend just as she came to her side. 

"Thank you hon', you both look amazing," Ruby pulled the brunette into a side hug, "How's Ericson's treating you so far?"

"I don't want to jinx it, but my first day is going much better than I expected. Aside from the staring," Clem shrugged it off but deep down she was relieved. If she hadn't met her friends mere weeks before school began she'd probably be eating lunch in a bathroom stall or the library. "Brody and I have second period together."

A light groan spilled from Brody's lips as they rounded the corner into the main cafeteria, "Yeah, and with a not-so-special someone too."

"I told you not to let that boy get to you! He's not worth your time," Ruby huffed while she sat down at a round table. They were the first of their group to arrive. 

"You already know where I stand with this. Just don't let him see that you're hurting and he can't do shit," Clem pulled her bagel out of her backpack before staring down Brody.

Brody placed her face in her hands, "I know, I know. It's just difficult seeing him everywhere. I swear I see him more now than I ever did while we were together."

"Sugar, it's only the first day. Before you know it he'll just be another crummy ex-boyfriend," Ruby rubbed Brody's shoulder while wearing a sympathetic expression on her face.

"Hiya Clemmy! You find your classes alright?" Louis flopped down in the seat to Clem's left with a smile. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach fluttering the second she heard his voice. The boy's dreads swung messily in his face, the urge to brush them away boiled inside of her.

Clementine did her best to hold back the sensation burning at her cheeks, "Yeah, thank you for showing me around. I couldn't have done it without you." 

The freckled boy shrugged, "Hero's duty ma'am." Another boy, who was unfamiliar to Clementine took a seat on Louis' other side. He immediately perked up, releasing a small gasp. "Omar! It's been a while how have you been?"

"Yes, Louis, I brought your stew," Omar pulled out a small thermos and placed it in front of Louis. 

"Omar, have I ever told you how much I love you?" Louis clutched the container in his hand, bringing it close to his body. Those three words at the end of his sentence sounded so nice coming from him.

"Nearly every time I bring you stew, so yes," Omar paused before glancing around the table. "Am I just going to have to figure out who's sitting with us on my own, or is someone going to tell me?"

Brody placed her hand on Clem's shoulder, "This is Clementine, our newest addition! She does a whole bunch of special things, like kicking people and driving."

"I-I've only kicked one person, and there was a good reason behind it!" Clem stared nervously at the new boy, "You must be the chef?"

Omar seemed satisfied and leaned back, "Ah, so you've heard of me."

"I've heard you're better at cooking than Aasim," Clementine remarked with a small laugh.

"Who said that?" Aasim placed his tray on the table before taking a seat next to Ruby.

"Who would say that?" Louis faked a worried expression and looked around at the group.

"Hello everyone, happy lunch!" Sophie and Mitch approached the table hand in hand. Minnie and Violet following close behind. Falling into a peaceful discussion, Clem thought their table was done filling up right before Marlon came waltzing over in all his glory. She might've been new to the group, but it was basic common sense not to sit at a table full of people who don't like you.

"Hey guys, how was the trip?" Marlon's greeting was met by primary silence as he sat between Mitch and Violet.

Minnie's eyes traveled around the table, "It was _fantastic_! We had a great time, together, as a group."

Violet glared at the other blonde, "Yeah, fan-fucking-tastic."

Marlon raised his finger to his eyebrows, "Listen, Vi, I'm sorry about our last... interaction but maybe we can get past that?"

Roughly bringing her tray into her chest and shoving out her seat, Violet stood, "I'll get past it when you fucking apologize for what you did to Brody and stop acting like a fucking dickhole." Vi slung her backpack over her shoulder and made a beeline for the courtyard. Brody silently stood at Clem's side and followed Violet, her head bowed while she followed in Violet's footsteps.

Omar tried to meet someone's eyes but could only find Clem's, "What happened?" He mouthed while covering the side of his face towards Marlon.

Clementine leaned in closer to Louis and Omar to mouth discretely, "Tell you later." Settling for a nod Omar leaned back in his seat. Louis met Clem's eye and tossed a wink at her. 

"I- uh," Minnie slowly got up from her seat, "I should get going too." Another tense silence filled the air while Minerva left the table. Anytime now, bell.

"Did you ever find out what happened to your car?" Aasim prodded, Clementine was unsure of if he knew the truth or not.

Marlon shook his head, "No, there's not much I can do to figure it out."

Louis held up his end of the bargain as promised, "Damn, that's too bad. You almost got them too, huh?" Don't take it too far now, Lou, cool your jets.

"Yeah, saw 'em running around the corner. They drove off too fast though," Running a hand through his atrocious mullet, Marlon sighed. It was too bad he had to give off such a bad first impression, she could have been his friend. "You gals have been pretty quiet."

"I have nothing to say to you," Sophie sneered at the boy next to her boyfriend. "You disgust me." 

Omar shot Clem another look which read as 'ooooh', she raised her eyebrows in return.

"Marlon you hurt one of my best friends. I'll forgive you when she does," Ruby spoke in her usual civil tone but avoided the boy's eyes. 

"Come on guys, don't act immature," Marlon brushed off their statements and continued to eat.

"I'd take immature over ignorant any day," Sophie gracefully purred out as she collected her belongings and left the cafeteria. The numbers at the table were dwindling by the second. There were only a few minutes left of lunch, it would be okay if she left early.

"Hey, Omar, why don't you show me where my next class is?" Clem began to push out her chair and scrounge up any of her loose trash.

"Sure Clementine, why not," Omar followed the girl's lead, but left Louis with his stew.

"I thought you already knew where to go," Louis looked up at Clementine with that dopey but adorable look in his eyes.

Collect yourself, Clementine, "I just need a little refresher. I'll see you soon." Clem let Omar lead her towards the exit, leaving the rest of the table group behind.

"Listen, I'm not usually this forward but since I haven't heard anything. Fill me in on everything," Omar secured his backpack over his shoulders while he spoke.

"Seriously? You know nothing?" Omar shrugged in return, "Well, I'm pretty sure it all started at Mitch's end-of-summer-party-sorta-thing when Louis and I walked in on Marlon in the bathroom with some girl. They weren't shwanging yet but they were getting there. Anyways, after that happened Violet got in an argument with Marlon about the whole situation, he was being a total ass. But that's basically the end of the story."

Clem allowed her companion some time to process what she told him.

"Nobody tells me anything around here," With a huff, Omar continued to lead Clementine down the hallway.

"It's alright, I'll keep you updated," Clem threw a smile in Omar's direction before stopping. "It looks like this is my class, thanks for walking me."

Omar chuckled and began making his way down the hallway, "I think you helped me more than I did you, see you later."

"Have fun!" Watching as Omar threw a joking glare over his shoulder, Clem walked into the room in front of her.

Violet and Sophie already occupied a pair of desks in the back of the room. Sophie sat on top of her desk, one leg crossed over the other. While Violet hunched forward in her seat, manspreading. Clementine approached her friends and occupied the seat to the left of Sophie.

"Clem! I'm so happy we have a class together," The redhead leaned forward and wrapped the girl in a hug. "We were talking about going to Vi's house on Friday night, you know, a little beginning of the year celebration! Like, we made it through the week! Do you wanna come?"

Man, they sure did hang out a lot. Not that Clementine minded, "Sure, sounds like fun!"

"My parents are gonna be at work, but I need everyone out by midnight," Violet adjusted herself in her seat before the class started.

Sophie carefully slid off of the desk and sat on her chair instead, "Not a problem, we can help you clean up too!"

Their conversation continued until class began, and a tiny bit during, seeing as they were in the back of the classroom. Clementine took note of Gabe's entrance, even if she wasn't friends with the boy she still knew him, not to mention his sister was nice. Finally, the class she'd been anticipating all day finally rolled around, stats with Louis. As much as she hated to admit it she was blindly crushing on that freckle-faced boy, and it wasn't a bad thing.

Feet pounding against the ground behind Clem prompted her to turn her head.

"Clementine, what class do you have next?" Gabe slowed down to match her pace, visibly out of breath.

The interaction caught her slightly off guard, "Um- well I have stats next. What about you?"

"Same, let me walk you!" Someone was suddenly feeling perky.

* * *

** Louis' POV **

His entire life led up to this very moment, okay maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. But he did wait all day to see his darling for a full hour and a half again. Unfortunately, her presence was absent when Louis entered the room, although it was empty aside from a few stray students. The more seats to choose from, the better. Louis took his claim on a table at the back of the classroom.

A small shadow cast over Louis while he was attempting to unpack his supplies. "Hey, Louis. What's up?" Becca's monotone voice panned out. Oh, Becca, Becca who Marlon cheated on Brody with.

"Hi, Becca," Louis avoided eye contact with the girl. Although he couldn't fully blame her for what happened, it still itched in the back of his mind that it was her fault his friends were divided. Where was Clementine?

The girl that was attempting to capture Louis' attention placed her hand on the table and leaned forward. "Are you excited for homecoming?"

With a sigh, Louis finally gave into having a conversation. "I don't know, it's like a month away."

Becca paused before nervously letting out a laugh, "Do you think Marlon will ask me?"

"Listen, I-" Louis was about to go on about how he didn't think Marlon had actual feelings for her when a familiar head of curly hair entered the room. Before he knew it, her name was pouring out of his mouth. "Clementine!"

A soft smile bloomed over Clem's lips, nearly distracting Louis from the boy at her side. He felt his eyebrows unintentionally furrow.

"Hi, Lou," Her voice came out kind as ever, but her face told a different story when she realized who he was previously conversing with. Clem set her backpack on the seat next to Louis', "Hello?"

"Uh hi, do I know you?" Becca narrowed her eyes as she spoke.

Clementine took her seat and folded her hands nicely on the table. "Maybe," Staring off for a moment, Clem tapped her chin. "Oh! Does the name Brody ring the bell?"

Louis couldn't decide if he liked Clem's passive-aggressive side or not, but it certainly didn't make him unhappy. What did ruffle his feathers was when the boy he'd now recognized as Gabriel Garcia sat down on the other side of Clem. Call it whatever you want, but Gabe always left a bad taste in his mouth. Maybe it was because he was always trying to steal Louis' brand, who else carries around a deck of cards?

"I think I'm gonna go now. Nice talking to you, _Lou_ ," Placing a hand gingerly on his shoulder before he left, Becca waltzed away, hips swinging. 

"The fucking nerve," Clem roughly dropped her binder onto the table.

Louis did his best to stifle a laugh, "Your first day and you're already picking a fight?"

Clementine flicked Louis' arm, "Don't get me started, Omar already thinks I kick people for fun."

"Oh don't worry, Omar would kick someone for fun," Louis reassured his friend. Beaming inside that she was giving him, and not Gabe, her undivided attention. The bell sounded, signifying that class was starting and he couldn't have a friendly conversation with Clem. 

She seemed like quite a good little noodle, Louis already knew she was smart. It was difficult for him to stay focused while she was around though, he couldn't stop watching her. Mainly her hands while she wrote, everything she jotted down was clean and refined. 

Louis offered the girl a gentle nudge with his elbow. "Am I driving you home?"

Clem replied with a small smile, "Only if you want to, Belouga."

 _There's nothing else I'd rather do Clemmy_ , "Sure, I know a short-cut so we can beat traffic too!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this update took longer than usual! I hope you're enjoying the story, thank you for the support!!  
> Also please drop some Clouis fic suggestions in the comments, I need some more!  
> Literally self-promo if you want, I won't be mad <3


	19. A Late Night Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of depression and parental issues

** Clem's POV **

Anticipation swelled in the pit of Clementine's stomach, not because Violet's party was right around the corner. But in the sense of a slightly dreaded letter arriving. Every year after their separation, Clem's biological father sent her letters from jail. Mainly within her first days of school, Christmas, and on her birthday. Sometimes he would write her more than that, but for the most part, they primarily kept to themselves.

It wasn't that she didn't love him, because she did. Clementine loved her dad so much, but sometimes hearing from him brought her more pain than joy. Especially when there were so many good memories she associated with each of those distinct dates. Going to her first days of school and being sent off by her loving parents, blowing out her candles while surrounded by her family, spending Christmas morning enraptured by endless love.

Clementine had all of those things now, but just with her new family. However, there were times where the suffering overthrew all of the love she received in her life, and she would cave in. At times she would fall into depressive episodes that could last for days or months. The only thing keeping her afloat was the knowledge that things were going to get better eventually. And sometimes eventually took time, lots of it.

But she got through it all, with the help of her friends and family. It was different this time around though, all she had was Lee to help her through any rough patch she had. She didn't have Duck's taunting but caring voice reassuring her daily, or Sarah's attempts at kind gestures. Her friends in Virginia were nice, but she didn't know if she was ready to be that open with them yet.

Throughout her first week of school, Clem shoved the letter she was awaiting upon into the deepest point of her mind. She decided to deal with it when the time came. Besides, she was going to Violet's house tonight with all of her friends and they were going to have a great time.

That was until she had the envelope in her hands on Friday after school.

Her father's unique writing spiked across the outer layer of paper holding her letter inside. Then she'd have to figure out what she was going to reply with, how many events she'd failed to fill him in on prior to his letter. Clementine felt her heart squeeze, while the rest of her body remained still in front of the mailbox.

"Clemmy? Did you hear me?" Oh right, Louis brought her home again.

Sporting a smile, Clementine put on a brave front. "What was that? Sorry, I was looking over the mail."

A small chuckle bubbled from the freckled boy, "I was just asking if you needed a ride to Vi's tonight. I can come get you."

A vacant feeling began to fall over her, "Oh, yeah, Violet's! I think I'll be okay, she doesn't live too far," Clem faced away from the boy. "I'll see you then."

"Are you okay? Did something happen at school today?" Louis prodded as he leaned his head out the window of his jeep.

Tucking the mail closer to her body Clem turned back to the boy, "I'm okay! Thanks for the ride home."

"Of course, let me know if you change your mind! I can always grab you on my way," The freckled boy pulled away from her driveway when Clementine nodded off his words. It wasn't his fault that she was feeling upset, but she just needed some time alone.

* * *

The cool night air did nothing to soothe her racing thoughts. After reading her dad's letter, Clementine decided to spend her night alone. He never said anything wrong but it still hurt more than it should have. It was easy to skip out on her friend's event, all she had to do was tell Violet she wasn't feeling well and no questions were asked. As her teeth began to chatter from the cold, Clementine brought her arms around herself.

The back door creaked open, but Clem didn't bother checking who it was. "Sweetheart, you're going to catch a cold out here," Lee took a seat next to his daughter. "Babe, I know you're upset but you can't keep doing this to yourself. Now I'm not saying you can't be upset, because you have every reason to be sad. But you lock yourself up and throw away the key."

"I just- I need a little time Lee," Clementine did her best not to sound bitter. He seemed to understand her intent and rubbed a few circles on her back before placing a kiss on her temple.

"I know Sweetpea, take your time," With that Lee stood up and left her alone with her thoughts again, or so she thought. Seconds later Lee returned to wrap a soft blanket around her, encasing her in a warm hug before leading himself back inside for the night.

* * *

** Louis' POV **

"What do you mean she's not coming," Louis hissed out in an attempt to keep his voice low.

Violet sighed and ran her hand down her face, "Listen, Louis, you asked and I told you. She said she feels sick, stop pushing it."

"What do you mean she's sick? I just saw her a few hours ago and she was perfectly fine," _Up until I dropped her off._ "What if I said something to make her upset and now she doesn't wanna come because of me?"

"Dammit Louis, she's fine! Stop being so invasive," Violet pinched the bridge of her nose before walking away.

He could just go and check on her, there was nothing wrong with making sure your friend was well taken care of right?

"I'm going to Clementine's house!" Louis announced while striding towards the front door.

Ruby peeked out of the kitchen, "Hon, just let her rest. I'm sure she's just got a cold!"

"Leave that poor girl alone, I'm sure she gets enough of you during the week," Aasim groaned out from the room over.

"What was that? I can't hear you over the sound of me _leaving_ ," Before he could be harassed by any of his other friends Louis made a break for it.

Clementine only lived a few blocks away, he could probably get there within the next five minutes. It would've been easier to take his car, but then Lee would see him, and probably skin him alive. This way he could just make a quick appearance, make sure she was feeling okay, then leave. Everything was always better in person anyways.

The turn leading into Marlon and Clem's neighborhood came into sight after a few minutes of walking. Louis did his best to hide behind a shrub in the girl's yard in an attempt to avoid his best friend. If Marlon knew he was making a late-night visit to his crush's house he'd never hear the end of it.

After a few minutes of searching for baby pebbles, Louis finally gathered a small handful. He began to toss the rocks one by one at her window, no reply. A handful more, still no reply. The lights were off in her room. Maybe she wasn't angry at him and she suddenly caught a cold, like Ruby said. Or what if she was avoiding him like Aasim teased.

Louis allowed himself to wait outside her window for a few more seconds, just in case Clem made a surprise appearance. To no avail, Louis' plans were soiled, and he began his walk of shame back to Violet's house. 

On his way past Clem's garden, Louis peeked over the wooden fence guarding her yard. A ball of a person was curled up on the steps of her porch. Assuming that it was Clementine, Louis yanked himself over the barrier. Unfortunately, his cat-like reflexes didn't kick in on time resulting in the boy to crash onto the ground with a yelp. If that didn't startle the girl, his groaning sure did.

"Louis?" Clementine's voice came out weaker than usual. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here right now."

"Violet said you were sick, I just wanted to check on you," Louis forced himself onto his hands and knees before sitting a safe distance away from the girl. "Sorry for dropping in."

His curly-haired friend tugged the blanket tightly over her shoulders and plastered a smile on her face, "I already told you earlier, I'm okay. Just feeling a little under the weather."

Allowing himself a minute to stare at the girl, Louis took in her disheveled appearance. Clem's nose and cheeks were blotched with red, her pink lips turned into a much deeper shade, and her eyes glowed with their fiery amber hue, but lined themself with a puffier appearance.

"If you were sick you'd be in bed, and not outside," Louis inched closer to the girl until he was at her feet. "What's wrong?"

She looked down at him for a moment before staring in a different direction. "Please, just go back to Vi's."

"I'm here now, Clementine. Besides, you're more important than some stupid party," The boy reached out to encase her hand in his. Clem made no attempt to pull away physically, but she looked emotionally distant. "You can talk to me, Darling. Unless you'd rather just sit here, because that's okay too."

Clem revealed her death grip on a crumpled sheet of paper. "My dad sent me a letter. I don't want to talk about it, please, just go."

The girl retracted any and all contact from Louis and closed herself off in the corner of the stairs.

"I can't possibly go and have a good time when I know you're sitting here alone," Not wanting to make the girl more upset, Louis remained in his position. Clementine's gaze traveled in the opposite direction of his face. "What can I do to help you?"

She shook her head while running a hand through her hair, "There's nothing you can do! I don't want you to see me like this. All I keep seeing are the memories I have of them and it hurts! God Louis, it hurts so bad." Clementine's shouts were drowned out by the sobs that began to escape her mouth. Her body curled back into itself.

"Hey don't cry, it's okay!" The boy found his fingers tracing the length of her arm down the blanket. "Do you want a hug? I give pretty good hugs!"

Framing her face with her hands, Clem slumped forward slightly. "No Louis, please leave."

"I'm not leaving Clementine, just come here," Louis scooted forward to wrap Clem in an awkward hug and began to stroke the back of her head. "It's gonna be okay."

Finally, Clem gave into his touch. Allowing herself to fall between his legs and put the majority of her weight along his torso. Crawling as close into his form as she could, Clem placed her head on the boy's shoulder and clung onto his familiar green shirt. He continued to run his hand down the back of her head, wrapping his unused arm around her waist.

Her sobs quickly subsided as she completely relaxed in her companion's hold. Louis tucked the hair that fell into Clem's damp face behind her ear, even on her worse days she was still the most gorgeous woman he'd ever see. It physically pained him to see her breakdown, if he hadn't come when he did she'd probably be crying on her porch alone all night. He held her tighter, continuing to rub her back until the tears falling from her eyes finally dissipated.

"You don't have to go through these things by yourself" Louis pulled the blanket tighter around her form and waited for her beautiful amber eyes to flutter open.

"Lee is the only person I can talk to here. And sometimes parents just can't understand. In my case, it's difficult to think that anybody can understand, but we all have our own trauma," Clem carefully pushed her head off of Louis' chest and rested her hands atop his shoulders. She'd given him the perfect opportunity to analyze her face, even if she was staring directly at him.

"You have me now too," The boy carefully cupped her jaw and met her eyes. "I won't let you go through something like this alone again."

Clem's eyebrows furrowed carefully, "Let me do the same for you then."

Dragging his hand away from her face, Louis directed his pinky finger towards Clementine. "Pinky promise to be there for each other all the time, twenty-four seven."

A small smile blossomed on the girl's lips while she wrapped her pinky around his. "I hereby pinky promise, Belouga."

"Ah, there's my Clemmy!" Louis brushed a few more stray curls out of her face. "I like it a lot better when you smile."

"Thank you," Clementine avoided his gaze. "It really does mean a lot to me. But you can still make it back to the party. I don't want to ruin your entire night."

"Ruin my night? I'd much rather be here with you than at Violet's party where everyone has me under a microscope. I'll let Mitch and Sophie get the attention tonight. Besides, I have a better idea," Louis stood up and gave Clem's hand a gentle tug. She followed the boy's lead into the center of her backyard. "Let's stargaze, I've always wanted to do that with someone! So why not now?"

The pair laid themselves out on the ground, Clementine remained wrapped in her blanket while Louis kept a safe distance between the two. Even if a safe distance was a maximum of two feet, it was space regardless. Louis had sound trouble keeping his eyes on the sky when the real star was laying next to him. Her eyes twinkled, and her smile lit up brighter than the sun.

With his stare fixated on the girl, only her movements could break him out of his trance.

Clem raised her pointer finger to the sky, "Look at that one."

It took a second for his eyes to adjust to the new scene, he did his best to follow her line of sight and came up with a small patch of stars. "Is that... Is that a potato?"

Her laughter came as a bit of a shock but it was a sweet melody, "No, it's a heart!"

"Oh! And I thought I was the creative one here," His smile faltered when he switched his gaze back to Clementine and realized a frown had fallen onto her lips again. Louis gently wrapped his fingers around the girl's palm. "What does it say?"

"H-He misses me and he loves me, he'll always love me. Also that he's proud of me for making it to my last year of high school," Clem paused and gripped Louis' hand as an anchor. "All good things."

Louis rolled onto his side to face the girl, his hand remained wrapped around hers. "Try to live in the moment, I know that it can be difficult to think about the past. Instead of thinking about what it could have been, think about what it was. Smile when you think about your parents and your life together."

Clementine's eyes still had their watery shine. "I miss them so much."

"I know Darlin', it's okay to be sad. But only for a little bit, because you're stronger than I could ever be," Louis pursed his lips, brainstorming ways to lighten the mood. "Don't tell Violet I said that, she's already butthurt that you've got bigger muscles than her."

* * *

** Clem's POV **

Being open and honest about her feelings wasn't exactly Clementine's forte. She found the more vulnerable she was to people, the more likely they were to hurt her. That was usually how the story went anyways. Reveal your inner weaknesses and turmoil then people use it against you, it was only human.

However, there was something about Louis that made her feel comfortable and safe. He didn't seem to have any ill-intentions, he was just there to make her feel better, and he was doing a pretty good job at it too. Even if she felt a little embarrassed about melting down in front of a boy she'd only known for a month.

"Are you trying to tell me you're tougher than Violet?" Clem didn't even try to conceal her smirk.

"Yeah, obviously. I've got a good sense of humor, brains, brawn, and dashingly good looks," Louis playfully rolled his eyes.

"You do realize I was there when Violet tried to destroy Marlon on several different levels? And I was also there when you didn't want to help Mitch because you were worried you were going to bruise your face, right?"

"That wasn't me," The boy shook his head.

"Sophie took a video on my camera, it was most definitely you," Clem's smirk grew into a smile.

"What? Why didn't anyone tell me about this?" Dreads swinging as he sat up, Louis looked down at his friend in false bewilderment.

She sat up to meet his position, "We thought it'd be a funny inside joke, which it was up until this point."

"Can I see it? I wanna see how badass I looked," Louis flexed his arm, seemingly proud of his 'guns'. He wasn't wrong about the brawns part, or the great sense of humor and dashing good looks. As for his brains, that'd have to take a minute to develop.

"Not now, Freckles, I don't want to wake everyone up," Her eyes drooped slightly as she spoke. The events of her day stacked on top of crying was tiring, and the only thing that could help her was a good, heavy sleep. Clem slowly relaxed onto her back again and stared at the starry sky.

Louis settled next to her, focusing his umber eyes on the stars. Having someone by her side took Clem's mind off of her previous thoughts. Especially the one person who hadn't failed to make her smile yet. Clementine felt herself relaxing a bit more than she should have, only emphasizing the way she felt her heart swell around the boy.

"Louis," Her heart skipped a beat as he directed his attention to her. "Thank you again. I don't know why you came but you did, and I don't know- just, thank you for caring."

"Caring is what I do best," Louis' fingers found their way around Clem's hand again, sending the goosebumps crawling up her arm to travel her entire body. "Which is why I'm going to send you to bed. Get some rest and text me in the morning if you need some company."

Clementine let the boy help her back onto her feet. "Do you need a ride to your car? I can drive you back to Vi's," The girl procrastinated in an attempt to drag on her time with him for as long as possible.

Releasing her hand, Louis brought his fingers up to Clem's cheek. "I'll be okay, worry about yourself for once and get some sleep."

"Before you go, I'm sorry that you missed Violet's party," Her concerned gaze locked onto his kind eyes almost instantly.

Louis lightly shook his head, "That's enough apologizing Clementine, I'm sorry you missed her party too, but we'll have plenty of opportunities for that. For now, please get some sleep. Maybe we can get everyone together for breakfast tomorrow?"

A spark traveled between the pair's eyes prompting Clem to smile, "That sounds great, Lou. I'll see you then."

His hand fell back to his side as he put more distance between them, slowly approaching the fence he previously fell over. "Sweet dreams, Clemster."

The boy's figure disappeared into the night, signaling Clementine to end her time outside. A comforting warmth flushed over her body as she fully entered her home. Most of the lights were off, leaving a dim glow from various lamps leading up to her room. Crawling into her bed seconds after opening her door, Clem allowed herself to analyze her room, landing on a single object. Louis' sweatshirt.

They'd already been through so much together, and to think it all started with his stupid fake British accent. Underneath all of his goofy remarks, there was one thing he was right about. Louis truly did care.

* * *

** Louis' POV **

By the time he made it back to Violet's house, everyone had cleared out. Thankfully, her parents weren't home yet so he could just pick up his car and leave. Although, the sounds from his car unlocking must have alerted one of the home's residents.

Violet's front door slowly creaked open, "Hey Louis, there you are. We were waiting for you to come back."

"Oh, sorry. I was just helping Clementine," Louis leaned onto his car as he spoke.

The girl in front of him smirked, "Yeah, 'helping' her. More like helping yourself," Violet's smile fell slightly. "But how is she doing?"

"She's just not feeling well, like you said. I'll bet some sleep and downtime will get her better in no time," Louis fibbed in an attempt to protect Clem's private life.

"I hope you're right. Not to get all mushy, but I like her, she's cool," Looking away, Vi defensively crossed her arms over her chest.

"She's more than cool Vi, she's amazing," With a grin, Louis sank into the driver's seat. "I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow morning, Purple."

"Breakfast? What are you talking about?" Violet grimaced at the boy's nickname for her.

"Be at the diner by eleven!" Louis' vague answer prompted Vi to flip off the boy as she walked into her house. Even with her spitfire attitude, Louis still knew Violet would show up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long-  
> I've had a lot going on recently and the next chapter may take even longer :(  
> I love writing for you guys so I'll do my best, I love you !!!


	20. The Days After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Sexual harassment (shouldn't be too triggering but PLEASE read with caution!!!)

** Clem's POV **

The morning after her self-proclaimed cuddle-session with Louis came with a sense of delight. His beating heart and warm body plagued her every waking thought. The way his fingers felt as they ran along the back of her head permanently ingrained itself into Clem's mind. He always smelled softly of cologne, and in her experience, it was a calming scent linked to comfort. 

As she grew closer to the freckled boy, Clem found it more difficult to resist gravity. Her stupid crush that began to develop within the first few days of knowing him was turning into much more than that. She was falling hard, and fast. 

And unfortunately, there was no way of telling whether he felt the same or not. Throughout their friendship, she'd seen him exhibit the same behavior with everyone else as well. Only time would tell, but with it being their senior year, Clementine wasn't sure of how much time she had left.

For the time being, she was going to absorb every second with her friends and hope for the best. Even if her eyes stung and felt heavier than usual, at least she was going to see her friends. Especially one 'friend' in particular.

After doing her best to hide the evidence from the night before, Clem made it to the diner on time. When she arrived Aasim, Mitch, and Violet were still absent, but they were expected to join the rest of the group eventually. The twins sat next to one another, both holding a spare seat for their significant other. While Brody and Ruby squeezed into another portion of the booth with Omar and Louis sitting at the opening.

At the realization of Clementine's presence, Sophie scooted out of her seat to meet the girl halfway. "Aww, Clem, I'm so glad you're feeling better! I missed you," Her voice came out in it's usual, kind disposition as she held Clem in a firm side hug and led her to the table.

"Morning Clemster, congrats on your speedy recovery," Louis nodded his head carefully at the girl, causing a few dreads to swing forward in response. 

"I'm happy to see you made it through Louis' wrath. Practically ran out of Vi's with his head cut off when he found out you were under the weather," Ruby snorted and offered Louis a playful nudge.

"Thanks, everyone, sorry I couldn't make it last night. I must've just been tired, it was a long first week," Downplaying the prior events, Clem took a seat next to Omar at the mouth of the booth.

Moments after her arrival, Mitch and Aasim joined the group, soon followed by Violet. Minnie pressed a kiss against the side of her girlfriend's head, ruffling a patch of hair involuntarily while she was at it.

"So, now that we're all here," Louis grinned while folding his hands in front of himself. "Who wants to audition for the musical with me?"

Aasim almost instantaneously burst into laughter, "You've gotta be kidding me? Us, in the musical?"

The freckled boy's face quickly grew defensive, "Don't laugh! Minnie is great at singing and maybe you have some potential. Keyword being 'maybe'."

"I think it sounds fun Lou, but I can't see myself dancing around on a stage," Minnie offered a comforting smile at the end of her sentence.

Violet stifled a snort, "I can, so why don't you just give it a try?"

"Okay, but you have to do it too," Crossing her arms over her chest, Minnie shot her girlfriend a defiant look.

"No fucking way in hell," The blonde shook her head as she rolled her eyes.

"We're in! Consider us there," Minerva gave Louis a thumbs up while Violet scowled.

"Any other takers?" Louis glanced around the rest of the group while tapping his fingers against the table. It must have been a habit from his piano playing.

"Sorry Sugar, I'm taking a college course right now. So far it's been pretty demanding," Ruby sent the boy an apologetic smile. 

"I think I'd be more help behind the scenes," Brody butted in with a small smile.

"Just as important!" Louis shook the girl's shoulders delicately. Yet another display of behavior he'd partake in with the brunette.

"I've gotta agree with Brody," Clementine finally contributed to the conversation with a shrug of her shoulders.

Louis jokingly narrowed his eyes at her, "Come on Clemmy, we all know you're multi-talented. What else do you have?"

"I did ballet for a while, but I wouldn't exactly consider myself to be a performer. How about Mitch," Clem's joke caused Sophie to break into a fit of giggles, as well as earning a glare from the boy in question.

"This guy couldn't dance if his life depended on it," Sophie leaned into her boyfriend for a split second. Causing his brow to soften. Despite his hard exterior, Mitch was certainly a full-blown softie for the girl beside him.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," The boy punctuated his sentence by holding his menu up to his face. Likely in an attempt to conceal his blush. 

The group fell into a light chatter as each of its members looked over their menus. It was apparent that the diner was their usual hang out considering almost everyone chose their breakfast quickly. Ruby and Violet didn't even take any time to look over their menus. 

Throughout their feast, they fell into various conversations around the group. Some including everyone and others including only a few members. In a way, the meeting served its original purpose to get Clem's mind off of her father's letter. 

As per usual, Louis was the first to offer her a ride home. It was an easy yes, any extra time with him was time well spent. For the majority of the drive, everything went along accordingly, up until Louis made a surprise turn. 

"What are you doing?" The boy flashed a smile at the girl in response to her question. "I swear, if you've gotten all of your money from selling people on the black market, I will jump out of this car right now."

"I'm not kidnapping you. I'm just taking you to a secondary location," Continuing along the rough backroad, Louis didn't bother another glance in her direction.

Clem's eyebrows furrowed slightly, "At first I was joking but now I'm not so sure."

Light laughter fluttered from Louis, sending the butterflies in her stomach to act up. "Don't worry, I just want to talk for a bit."

Her nerves spiked at his words, usually when people wanted to talk it was about something bad. "Yeah, okay. But how much longer do we have to go?" 

"And I thought I was the impatient one," Louis remarked sarcastically. "Sorry, we're almost there."

The end of the dirt road revealed an expansive field, overgrown with tall grass and wildflowers. Clem was too intrigued by the sight that she didn't notice Louis got out of the car until he circled around to open her door. His larger hand stretched out to her smaller one. Looking at the boy on the natural background brought Clem a sense of euphoria as she took his hand. 

"Do you like it? Marlon and I used to come out here when we were younger, y'know, because of the bugs. But we're not here for grasshoppers," The boy let out a somewhat nervous laugh.

After letting her hand linger in his for a second longer, Clem took a better look around the field. "It's beautiful, Lou. So long as there aren't snakes in there."

"There might be a couple, but if you don't look for them there won't be any!" Louis tugged at her hand before leading her through the tall grass. Trekking through the weeds proved to be much harder than either of them expected. "I feel like maybe this was easier ten years ago? Wow, that's weird, I did this ten years ago."

"Where are we going?" So far he'd just been leading her through an endless sea of pale grass where everything looked the same.

"You know what? We can just stop here," Louis began to shove down the growth until a large section was flat on the ground. "Tadaa!"

With furrowed eyebrows, Clementine looked down at the grass bed, then to the boy on his hands and knees. "Am I supposed to sit now?"

"Yep! We can make this quick so I can get you home early," Scooting across the patch, Louis left a small place for her to take next to him. 

* * *

** Louis' POV **

Once the girl made it down to his level there was a long silence. "So... what did you want to talk about?"

"Oh, right!" It was more than easy for Louis to lose track of time within her presence. "I just wanted to ask if you were okay, I mean you seemed okay during breakfast. It's just that- I was there with you last night and you were really upset."

There was another pause while she seemingly thought about her response. "I'm doing much better, and I'll be back to normal again soon." Holding her tongue, Clem's eyes grew a bit glossier. "Thank you, for everything I mean. You've been so good to me ever since I got here."

"You need to stop thanking me, we're a team now! Friends, I mean, and what are friends for?" Placing a hand on her cheek, Louis gave the girl a reassuring smile. Leaning into his touch, Clementine closed her eyes blissfully. What if he just told her how he felt now? Being this comfortable around someone was a foreign concept to him, but she made it so much easier. "Clem, I-"

Opening her eyes, the girl stared at him through her thick eyelashes. Even with half of her face covered, a blushed shade visibly flooded her cheeks. 

"I-" _Just spit it out, you chicken!_ Reluctantly pulling his hand away from her face, Louis began to maneuver his way up. "I should be getting you home! You're probably still tired from last night!"

"Already?" Clem swiftly got to her feet, clearly a bit taken off guard. 

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Louis played off his anxiety with a grin. "I told you I'd make things quick!"

"Okay then," The girl began to make her way back down the path towards Louis' car before looking over her shoulder. "Are you coming?"

"Right behind you!" As Clementine disappeared into the grass Louis pushed his face into his hands. He was such an idiot for thinking he could just reveal his feelings for her and she would reciprocate them. If he were to tell her everything would have changed, quite possibly for the worse. 

After spending a few moments to gather his thoughts, Louis jogged down the path Clementine took in an attempt to catch up.

* * *

"So this is love, I'm in love," Louis sighed as he laid down on Marlon's couch. After dropping the girl off at home, Louis decided to spend the rest of his day processing all of his feelings. Love was the only logical conclusion, no it wasn't because he was a hopeless romantic! But once the truth hit him Louis needed to tell someone, so why not his best friend the very next morning?

"Please don't tell her that, she's gonna think you're a creep," Marlon pushed Louis' heels off the couch and took a seat in their place. "You just met her what? A month ago?"

"I almost told her I liked her yesterday," Louis ignored his friend and sat up. "What do you think I should do?"

Marlon chuckled humorously, "I'm the last person you should be asking for dating advice right now."

"Oh, right. By the way, Becca asked me if you were going to take her to homecoming the other day," The freckled-boys gaze traveled around Marlon's messy but comfortable room. It wasn't that he was envious of the trash scattered across every surface, but he wished that his father would let him decorate a bit more. Louis' entire house was full of a stiff, stale air. Whereas most of his other friends held more comforting aspects within their homes.

"I don't want to go to homecoming with Becca. I want to go with Brody," Marlon usually wasn't one to open up about his feelings but he'd been fairly vocal about his mistake. 

"Maybe you should try talking to her? Or at least give her a formal apology," Louis' suggestions always fell short with his friend. He wasn't exactly good at apologizing, and half the time would try to make other people look bad in order to defend himself. 

"It's kinda hard with her little bodyguards roaming around twenty-four-fucking-seven, they get all pissy at me for not apologizing but then they won't let me. Doesn't make any sense to me," There he went again.

"Try calling her, maybe she's available after school tomorrow. Take her to dinner or something?" Redirecting his eyes towards Clem's house, he allowed them to settle there for a few minutes while his dry conversation with Marlon dragged on. 

"Not a bad idea, Lou." A shoulder edging into Louis' side broke him out of his trance. A cocky smirk glued onto Marlon's lips. "Hey, are you waiting for the show too?"

Furrowing his brows in confusion, Louis stared down his friend. "Show? What show? What are you talking about?"

"Y'know the old," Marlon bounced his eyebrows with a whistle.

Doing his best to imitate Clem's signature glare, Louis continued to wait for a better explanation. Unwilling to admit what he thought he was hearing.

"C'mon dude, she put her dresser in front of her window. How stupid could she be, she's basically asking for it," Smugly leaning into his couch, Marlon ran a hand through his mullet. A sick feeling began to settle in Louis' stomach, the sense of bile in his throat grew harder to ignore. 

"Are you fucking kidding me? And you want to call me the creep?" Louis stood from his place next to the blonde, approaching the bedroom door before the room started spinning too fast for him to leave.

"Lou, where are you going? I'm sure it'll start soon, no need to be impatient," Marlon took up the rest of the couch at the loss of Louis.

"Fuck off Marlon, you're fucking sick," With a sigh, the boy began to pull the door shut before pausing. Because as wrong as the things his friend did were, Louis would continue to forgive him over and over again. All in fear of losing another person he cared about. "I'll see you Monday."

Navigating his way through Marlon's house, he finally landed on the exit. Face to face with Clementine's home where she was supposed to be safe. A new anger swelled in the pit of his stomach as the nausea died down, Marlon was truly shameless. Not only did he cheat on Brody but now he came out as a peeping Tom.

Stabilizing himself against his car, Louis took a minute to sort out the pros and cons of both paths he could go down. Telling Clementine about Marlon's actions would be a betrayal. But allowing it to go on would be even worse, and nobody deserved to be voyeurised. Especially not his darling Clementine.

Tossing a glance over his shoulder, Louis checked to make sure Marlon was preoccupied before making his way towards Clem's house. Quickly jogging across the street, the dread-headed boy planted a firm knock on the front door. 

_Please don't be Lee, please don't be Lee_. Once the door fully opened, a towering presence fell over Louis. _Fuck, it's Lee_.

"Hi, Mr. Everett! I uh- think Clementine might've taken some of my papers on accident. Do you think I could maybe grab them real quick?" After getting his sentence out, Louis plastered an I'm-not-your-average-high-school-boy smile on his face.

A few seconds passed while Clem's father stared down at him, presumably weighing out his options as he did just seconds before. The man took a few steps to the side, opening the doorway. "Alright, she's in her room. Second floor, first door to the left. You better knock, and don't even think about going in."

"Thank you, sir! I'll be in and out as fast as possible!" Carefully mousing past Lee, Louis toed off his shoes before finding his way to Clementine's room.

As he climbed the stairs, Louis took note of the various pictures scattered around their home. Photos of Clementine laughing with her brother, school pictures, and arbitrary images that had nothing to do with the family were placed everywhere. 

By the time he made it to Clem's door, he was reluctant to tell her the truth. What exactly did he plan to do? She wasn't going to have a good reaction, that much was set in the stone. It didn't help that she was already feeling awful inside. Bringing his knuckles up to the door, Louis gently tapped a steady beat.

"Come in!" The girl's voice combined with his nerves nearly startled him. 

"Uh, it's Louis," The boy's hand hovered above the doorknob.

"Oh- okay! One second!" Louis heard the girl whisper out a train of curse words followed by rustling around her room. "Come in!"

Behind Clem's door revealed a pale-colored room, also bombarded with photos of the family, along with several other various posters. Although her bed was much smaller than his, it looked ten-times more comfortable.

A nervous laugh spilled from Clementine, "It's not as grandiose as your room, but it's pretty cozy."

"I-It's nice, I like it. I like it a lot," Fumbling over his words, the boy attempted to cover up his racing thoughts. 

Wrapping her arms around her waist, his curly-haired friend took a seat at a chair near her desk. "Sorry if this sounds rude, but what are you doing here?"

"I- uh I don't know how to tell you this. But um-" Louis paused for a brief moment to take in Clem's confused appearance. "Maybe you should move your dresser?"

"My what?" Clementine looked in the direction of her wardrobe, taking a few moments to completely connect the dots. While Louis stood in her doorway, his fists balled uncomfortably as he trained his eyes away from her. "O-oh. D-Did you see anything?"

"No! I didn't, I wouldn't- no. It's just that somebody else has seen some uh- stuff," The boy clenched his jaw in an attempt to hide his frown from the girl as he leaned against her door frame. "I'm sorry."

Instead of exhibiting anger, Clem shot Louis a short-lived smile. "It's not your fault, Lou. Thank you for telling me, even if it is a little embarrassing."

"That's it?" Perplexity oozed from his question.

The girl shrugged, "Yeah, what did you expect? Marlon is a fucking weirdo, it's not like I didn't see something like this coming. I mean come on, he has a mullet for God's sake. "

"You're not upset? Like at all?" Louis pushed himself back into an upright position.

"Of course I am, but now I know what's going on... Just- make sure that fucker doesn't have any pictures," Clem stood up and approached the boy. "You told me not to dwell on things."

"That doesn't mean you can't be angry Clem. Remember that pact we made? We pinky swore and everything?" His facial expression must have provoked Clementine to laugh, causing him to soften a bit. "Let's add on to that oath. Whenever we have something we want to get off our chest, the other person has to listen."

"Okay Louis," The girl brought her pinky finger up and Louis gripped it with his own. "Finally, now you can stop being so serious."

"I'm sorry! I thought you would be a lot more upset I guess?" Shrugging, Louis carefully dropped his hand back down to his side. 

"I'll be okay," Clementine tapped the side of his nose with her index finger before beginning to slowly shut her door. "Goodbye, Louis."

"Clemster- wait- okay, okay, bye," Hesitating to leave Clem, the boy rested his forehead against her door. "Auditions for the musical are on Monday."

A snort from the other side of the door reassured him. "I know, Lou. I'll see you then."

"Bye Clemmy," The smile in her voice allowed him to leave with a somewhat light conscious.

* * *

** Clem's POV **

By the next day, Marlon was just another object on her list of bad things. Quite possibly because she didn't want to let the truth settle in. Her window was closed most of the time, but that fact could only protect her state of mind for so long.

For the time being, she primarily focused on assisting her friends before their auditions. She'd already spoken to Brody about being part of the stage crew.

Of course, Louis had done the pleasure of psyching himself out, even though he had enough charisma to walk on the stage and immediately get the leading role. But sitting next to him among the cool auditorium at the end of the day was nerve-wracking, to say the least. Especially with his constant twitching and bouncing to her left and Minnie's nail-biting to her right.

Clem leaned close to the boy to whisper a few reassuring words. "You remember on the first day of school when you told me to 'fake it 'till I make it'? This is basically the same thing as that, so when you get up there just fake it. Not that you have to though, I've seen you flawlessly play an entire song on the piano drunk."

"We don't talk about that," Louis let a small smile fall onto his lips, while his eyes winced. "But thanks, I'll do my best."

Name after name, each individual was called, leading up to Minerva. At the calling of her name, Minnie silently stood up, seemingly on autopilot. Violet took her place once her girlfriend made it up to the stage. 

"She's gonna fucking kill this shit," The blonde stifled her grin by biting her bottom lip.

"So will you," Clementine encouraged her friend.

Violet made no attempt at hiding her laugh, causing a few sets of eyes to send glares in their direction. "There's no way in hell I'm getting up there and singing. I just came so Minnie would, I didn't even sign up. Sure she'll be pissed for like thirty minutes, but I'll just help you and Brody backstage and she should be fine."

"Welcome to the team," Holding out her hand for a handshake, Violet quickly reciprocated.

"Didn't know the stagehands had a welcoming committee, I'm starting to like this already," The girl joked in return, quickly falling silent as her girlfriend's voice began to echo through the room. 

Clem had heard from numerous people on several different occasions that Minnie was an exceptional singer, and they were all right. Her smooth voice traveled throughout the room, completely entrancing all the occupants. You could hear a pin drop if it weren't for the girl's deep vocals. Once her song came to an end the room fell into its usual applause after each audition, aside from Violet's shouts.

Louis' bouncing knee turned to a vigorous finger tapping as he leaned back into his seat. With her instincts taking over, Clementine gently wrapped her hand around his. What once was something so foreign turned into such a familiar touch within the previous few days. But the more their hands touched, the faster her heart began to race. And the slower his leg bobbed.

Carefully shifting his hand, Louis positioned his palm directly under the girl's. Keeping his gaze trained on the stage, the boy began to slowly intertwine his rough fingers between Clem's much softer ones. Each tiny movement sent a new sensation coursing through her body. A tickling feeling ran between her fingers as the boy finally finished pressing their hands together.

_They fit perfectly._

The dark lighting of the room did nothing to soothe her nerves, aside from the fact that she knew Louis wouldn't be able to see her glowing cheeks. Whoever was singing on stage slowly trailed off until all Clem could hear was the beating of her own heart. It was just her and Louis, nothing else mattered. She could only hope he felt the same. 

It was apparent that he was on high-alert when he suddenly jumped in his seat. Shooting Clementine one more nervous, and slightly scared, glance before standing up and walking towards the stage. Tearing their fingers apart with a lingering touch. A wide-eyed Clem turned towards Minnie and Violet. Amusement played behind Vi's eyes while she bit the inside of her cheek with a smirk.

The brunette's eyebrows immediately furrowed, "What?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all," Shaking her head, Violet softly snorted out a laugh. "You guys are _so_ fucking stupid."

"You know what Violet," Pursing her lips, Clementine stared the girl down. "You have a potty mouth."

"Ooooh, she got you, Vi," Minnie's words oozed with sarcasm as she spoke with a small giggle.

A smooth, deep voice, drew the trio out of their conversation, directing their attention to the boy on the stage. If she thought Minerva's voice was beautiful, Louis' was completely show-stopping, but maybe she was just a bit biased. All of his previous nerves melted away, leaving his familiar confident self to take over the stage. The boy used his whole body while he sang, truly performing and selling his act. 

Finding her eyes in the crowd, the edges of Louis' lips turned up into an open smile. That was the exact moment she knew Louis wasn't special, he was completely sensational.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a) I wanted to redeem Marlon but my 3am brain had a different idea, I'm sorry if it's written badly or unrealistic/anyone was triggered ! I truly would never want to hurt any of you <3  
> b) I'm sorry this is all over the place but heyyyy lots of Clouis time yayyyy  
> c) Is it 3am while I'm writing this and that's why I'm acting wacky? Yes !  
> d) Thank you for reading !!


	21. Discoveries

**Clem's POV**

After the auditions, Louis dropped Clementine off at her house. Insisting that they arrive early for school the next day. Why? So he could look at the casting list in peace, which was respectable considering he'd likely react as dramatic as humanly possible.

When the next morning rolled around, walking through the empty halls was eery, to say the least. Louis wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to get there before everyone else, half of the teachers had yet to arrive.

"If you'd follow me this way to the bulletin board?" The boy began to lead her down yet another unfamiliar hallway.

"How the hell do you get around here?" Clem scoffed while they took another turn.

A pleasant laugh fell from Louis' lips, was he really that gorgeous or was she just making up a romanticized version of him? "You're forgetting that I've been here for four years. Trust me, you're much smarter than me, you'll get it down soon."

No, he was just _that gorgeous_. "I hope you're right, or else I'm done for."

"You'll be okay, besides, you have me!" Louis grinned before stopping at another turn, the boy put his arms out in a grand gesture. "Behold, my favorite place in this entire shit-hole of a school! The music room!"

"Where's the casting list?" Frowning at the girl's question, Louis directed one of his arms down the hallway. "What are we waiting for?"

"I can't do it! You need to look for me," Crying out, the boy draped a hand over his eyes.

"Okay fine drama queen," Clem walked around her friend and towards the board.

Jogging behind her, Louis wore a worried expression on his face. "That's Mr. Drama King to you!"

"Fine, then from now on you can call me Queen Clem." Her eyes scanned the various pinned sheets of paper until finally landing on the casting list. Running her fingertips down the page, Louis' name landed at the very top. "It looks like you're 'Oliver'?"

"You're kidding," The boy's voice came out in a flat tone.

Redirecting her attention to the paper, Clementine placed her finger next to his name. "No, that's definitely y-"

Before Clem could finish she was being scooped up in Louis' arms and twirled around the empty hallway. The boy's rich laughter bounced off the walls into her ears, spurring Clementine to join in. With his arms tightly secured around her waist, his breath on her shoulder, and the way he effortlessly lifted her off the ground, Clementine felt safe in his hold. Being with Louis was easy, everything was easy with him.

Louis finally began to slow down, but her body was still firmly rested against his. Once she opened her eyes and their laughter died out, everything came back into perspective. The hallway was still empty but they were much, much, closer than Clementine expected. She was positioned to be taller than Louis, but she hovered just inches above him. From the new perspective, she could fully take in all of his flawless features.

"I take it you got the part?" The girl breathlessly spoke as she gazed down at him.

"Y-Yeah!" Louis carefully slid Clementine back to her feet before taking a step back. "Sorry, I got a little carried away."

"No worries! How about we go pick up a pair of celebratory sodas? We've still got lots of time before class starts," Clem tugged on Louis' forearms while walking back down the hall. They remained in their own little world, completely unaware of the new presence.

"Lou, hi!" A monotone voice caught the couple's attention, Becca's expression faltered as Clementine came into view. "Oh, hi."

"Hey, Becca, how's it going?" Louis' often sunny disposition lacked as he spoke to the girl.

"Oh you know me, just checking to see who got the role of the leading lady," Becca exaggerated her walk, taking a bit of extra effort to swing her hips. She shot a faux grin at the previous occupants before tracking down the list. "I got it! Congrats to me."

"Nice job," Clem didn't even attempt to hide her distasteful expression. From the moment she saw Becca making out with Marlon in that dingy bathroom, she knew they were going to have a problem. 

"Aww, thank you hon!" Becca placed her hand on her chest before approaching Clementine and patting the top of her head. "I'll see you in fourth period!"

"Still up for those sodas?" The boy's body was rigid as he spoke while his arms hung loosely at his sides. Clem couldn't help but glare at Becca as she continued her trek down the hall. 

"Just because you have to work with a bitch doesn't mean we can't celebrate," Together they meandered down the hallway, Clem following closely behind in Louis' tracks. They probably could have got there at least thirty-minutes later and still had time to peacefully look over the list. Spending time with the boy was good for her though, he took her mind off of things.

After acquiring their sodas, Louis decided he wanted to go back to the music room so he could, 'tickle the ivories'. Sitting side by side, they placed their sodas on the bench. Clem rested her head against the space near the end of the keys, watching Louis artfully run his fingers along the black and white tiles.

"You're even better sober," Clementine hid her smile after the boy threw her a friendly glare.

"I'd hope so, or else that would mean my years of practice were all for nothing," Louis held her gaze for a moment longer before turning back to the piano.

"What song are you playing?" She recognized most of the songs he'd played in her presence, but this one was new.

Louis hummed in thought while continuing to toy with the keys. "An original, it's not finished yet though."

Clementine closed her eyes, soaking in the vibrations from the piano while basking in its delicate sound. "It's beautiful."

"You-" Louis choked out before he abruptly stopped playing and took a drink of his soda. "Thank you!"

"Are you okay?" A confused expression fell upon her face.

Taking a few more sips from his pop, the boy took his time to reply. "Yeah, yes. I'm great! Thank you."

"If you say-" Before Clem could get out the rest of her sentence the secluded room's door swung open, loudly slamming against the wall behind it. The duo on the piano bench jumped in unison before turning towards the perpetrators. Blindly walking into the room, Marlon's lips sloppily crashed against Becca's. "Not again!"

"Ew, fuck!" Yanking Clementine's arm along with him, Louis stood from their seat before the intruders could fall on top of them. Lucky for the soda wielding duo, Becca and Marlon broke apart from one another.

"Oh, Louis, didn't realize you'd be here," Marlon awkwardly straightened the neckline of his t-shirt while staring at Clem. With the news of his disturbing hobby, the girl found herself feeling extreme discomfort. A familiar hand found hers, offering a quick squeeze before it's release.

"Didn't realize you play the piano, but I guess we learn something new every day!" A borderline frustrated Louis began to pick up their bags before walking out the same way Marlon and Becca came in. Clementine followed behind him like a duckling. Once they made it out the dread-headed boy pinched his nose with a sigh. "I'm sorry, for everything."

"Louis, you have noth-" Clem reached her hand out towards his arm but Louis gently flinched away.

"Yes I do, I should've done more to prevent what happened and- fuck. I'm just sorry that it happened to you," Rubbing his hands down his face, Louis finally turned to face the girl who wore a troubled expression.

Gently taking his hand in hers, Clem ran her thumb along his knuckles. "It's not your job to protect me, there's nothing you could have done. It's not like you knew it was happening, if you did you would have told me sooner." Louis' silence was an indication for her to carry on. With a tug, she pulled him in the direction of the exit. "Walk me to class?"

"Of course Clemster, it's not like I can stay here anymore," The boy tossed his soda in the trash before handing Clem her backpack.

"When does rehearsal for the musical start?" Clem questioned as they started on their path towards her class.

"Probably in a week or two? We'll read over the script and do our thing, then start mapping stuff out on the stage. After that, stage crew comes in and we finish everything up! The whole production should take about a month, maybe a little more?" As Louis explained the timeline, she held onto his every word. Dreading the moment they'd part.

"That's pretty soon, think you'll be able to learn all the dances and songs in time?" Gazing up at the boy, Clem quickly caught his eye, considering that they were already glued onto her.

"I might need some help with the choreography, depending on how difficult it is. Too bad I didn't meet a dancer last month, that would've been _super_ helpful," Louis shrugged, a smirk playing at his lips.

Jokingly shaking her head, Clementine returned his smirk. "I only did ballet, and it's not like I was a pro-ballerina."

"I'll believe it when I see it, I'm sure you've got some kind of black swan thing going on," His words came out just as her classroom came into view. A lot of time had passed since they first arrived, the once empty hallways were now bustling with students.

The pair stopped just before the door that led to her first period. "Maybe you'll find out someday, but until then, I'll just remain an elusive mystery to you."

"Mysterious? I like that in a woman," Clem did her best to stifle her laughter at his comment.

Turning away from the boy with a shake of her head, Clementine made her way into her classroom. "Goodbye, Louis."

"Aww, Clemmy I was just kidding around," The freckled-boy lingered in the hallway for a few more seconds before blending with the rest of the crowd. The nervous feeling she felt the week before had primarily dissipated, of course, there were always those people that stared at everything.

One of those people must've been Mariana, because as soon as Clem sat next to the girl she was bursting with questions. "Who was that? He's cute, I like his hair! Wait- are you dating?"

Softly shaking her head, Clementine began to unpack her basic supplies. "No, we're not dating. He's just a friend, the first friend I made here actually."

"So, you like him?" Mari leaned onto her hand, propping her head up.

"Hey, hey, hey, no need to get too crazy now," Clem carefully waved her hand in Mariana's direction.

"You _like_ like him?" Her question came out as more of a statement.

"Yeah, okay fine. I do _like_ like him. But he doesn't know that, and he certainly doesn't need to," The warning bell rang as Clementine finished her sentence.

"But like, what's the worst thing that could happen?" Mariana's soft lips pulled up into a smile.

Clem's eyes widened in return, "For starters, our entire friendship would be ruined. Then I would probably cry for a couple of days because everything would be weird in our friend group. Honestly, there are so many unfactored variables on top of that."

"Calm down, I'm sure none of that would happen!" Mari did her best to soothe her friend as the final bell trilled through the room. "Well maybe, but you don't have to do it."

"Thanks, Mari, you're fantastic at this whole advice thing," Clem teasingly frowned, triggering Mariana to burst into a fit of giggles.

"Ladies, we're getting started. Quiet down," Mr. Grover stared at the pair, with the same unamused expression he wore every day. "Today I'll be assigning a partner project. You can work with whoever you want, if you don't get it done- don't come crying to me because it was your fault."

A gentle kick to Clem's ankle signified who her partner was, Mari winked at her friend before turning her attention back to the front of the room.

"You have a month to finish an essay and a presentation, don't start whining because you aren't going to present. We don't have time for that. By the end of the week, I expect you to tell me who you're working with and what historic event you're going to research. Okay, moving on!" The man turned his back on the class and began to pull down maps hung at the front of the room.

Clem took the distraction as a way to whisper to her friend. "My dad eats this shit up, we've got this in the bag!"

"Hell yeah!" Mariana replied with her own whispered shout.

The rest of the class period dragged on as per usual. Mr. Grover's droning voice lectured them into a sleep-like state after he passed out packets for the upcoming project. Since the previous week, Clem and Mari found the halls much easier to navigate and landed in English with ease. Brody had yet to enter the classroom, but Gabe already sat at their table.

Mari leaned in closer to Clementine as they entered the room, "Something is up with him, he's never on time. If you know what I'm saying."

Furrowing her eyebrows Clem stared at her equally as tall friend. "What do you mean? Is he toking up in the bathroom?"

"No! Well maybe, but I think he has a reason to come to class now. _If you know what I'm saying_ ," The girl bounced her eyebrows suggestively, to which Clem responded with a blank expression. "Oh my gosh, like a girl. As in you or Brody."

Clementine nearly stopped in the center of the room. "What- are you crazy?"

"You're crazier than I am!" Mariana slid into her seat by Gabe.

"Doubtful, and that's coming from someone who lives with you," The boy snarkily remarked.

"Shut up, _Gabriel_ ," With a sneer, Mari turned to pull out her supplies.

"Good morning everyone!" Brody took her place next to Clem, sporting a smile. "What're you talking about?"

"Oh nothing, just the usual bickering," Clementine turned to Brody, ignoring the argument. "Did you hear Louis got the lead?"

"What! That's amazing, remind me to congratulate him during lunch. He's been trying to get a good role since freshman year, I guess all his hard work finally paid off," Pulling out her journal, Brody prepared for the class that was about to begin. "You're still doing stage crew with me, right?"

"Of course, I wouldn't dare miss out on that. We get a behind the scenes on all the juicy gossip of the drama club," The curly-haired girl grinned as Mr. Tormy closed the door leading into his classroom, signifying that he was ready to start.

"You have no idea how right you are," Quietly giggling, Brody directed her attention towards the front of the room, giving Mr. Tormy the entirety of her attention.

Throughout the period, Clementine could feel a pair of eyes focusing on her. Gabe's eyes to be exact. It wasn't that the staring made Clem feel uncomfortable, but he wasn't exactly being subtle. Which only went on to prove Mariana's theory to (possibly) be the truth. However, that was something she wasn't willing to admit unless there was further evidence.

By the end of class, she was just happy to be getting out of there. It appeared that Brody was just as happy, if not more. It'd almost been two months since Marlon cheated on her, and it was apparent she was doing much better without him. Of course, it must've still been awkward seeing him, but she was working on getting over that too. 

After stopping at their lockers, the girls leisurely made their way towards the cafeteria. Most of the table was already occupied by their friends, they could hear Louis' voice nearly the second they entered. He was already elaborating on how excited he was to start rehearsal. 

"Congrats Lou, I'm really happy for you!" Despite Minnie's compassionate tone, there was still a solemn voice behind it. 

Louis circled the table to embrace the redhead in a side-hug. "I'm sorry you didn't get the role you wanted Minnie."

"Even if you didn't get the lead, you still did amazing at auditions. I knew you were good at singing, but I had no idea you were that talented," Clem's reassuring smile met Minerva's while she took a seat next to Mitch.

"Thanks, but hey! At least we'll still get to hang out, and with my lack of stage presence, I'm sure I'll get to sit around backstage a lot," Minnie smiled at Louis as he pulled away and reclaimed his seat next to Omar.

Since the first day of school, Marlon refrained from sitting with the group during lunch. And after Louis' discovery, it was probably for the best. Even being in the same room as that mullet-wearing creep gave Clem the chills.

For the remainder of lunch, they discussed the musical, as well as other arbitrary topics. Losing track of time, the group had to pack their things in a rush before hustling off in their respective directions. Clem split off with Sophie and Violet as they took their usual course to third period.

"I can't fucking believe Becca got a better role than Minnie," Vi huffed, shooting a glare at Clementine over her shoulder.

"You're telling me, she didn't seem to take it lightly either. That much was evident when she busted into the piano room with Marlon while Louis and I were in there," Tugging her backpack straps tighter atop her shoulders, Clem butted in next to Sophie.

"Ew, they're so fucking nasty. They deserve each other," Pursing her lips in thought, Vi finally turned back to her curly-haired friend. "What were you doing in the piano room?"

"You know what, I was just thinking the same exact thing," Sophie smirked before setting the strap of her bag on the back of her chair.

"We were just celebrating!" Clem scoffed before defensively crossing her arms over her chest.

"Celebrating like Becca and Marlon?" Violet kissed at the air in front of Clementine.

"No! We were just drinking soda," The final bell rang in the middle of her pouting session. 

Ignoring the chimes, Sophie carried on. "Aw, that's so sweet! You were making out in the piano room. The two things he loves most on this entire planet."

Violet held a hand over her heart. "You're right Soph, that is just _so_ adorable."

"He doesn't love me! At least not like that!" After shooting daggers in Sophie and Violet's direction, Clem slumped into her seat. "I'm ignoring you guys for the next ten minutes."

Sticking out her plump bottom lip, Sophie frowned at her friend. "Please Clem, I promise we'll be nice. Just- please invite us to the wedding."

Violet snorted loudly when Clementine tossed an eraser at Sophie, ending their steady string of conversation for the rest of the class. 

Clem couldn't help but daydream in an oh-so-cliche way about the freckled-boy. When she'd first met him, she did her best to push away any feeling she may or may not have had for him. Somewhere along the way, she ended up giving up on that resistance. Overall, what was the point of submerging her feelings for him? Even if her last relationship when up in flames, that didn't mean she couldn't have an innocent crush on a sweet boy.

Speaking of unrequited love, Gabe tagged along next to Clementine on her way to their fourth and final class of the day. After Mari's hints, what was once a silly idea turned into something more and more plausible by the minute. In the span of one day alone, she'd already been hyper-aware of the staring, the not-so-subtle flirting, and his attempts at getting closer to her. 

When she entered the same room as Louis, her entire body seemed to slightly tense and relax all at the same time. His smile radiated from across the room, up until she took her seat next to him. With Gabe on her other side, as per usual.

"Hey Clemmy, I don't think I'll be able to give you a ride home today. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I was just too caught up in everything. I didn't realize I have to stay after school," Louis' words came out in a panic, while his eyes avoided hers. He got so adorably flustered sometimes. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

That was when she realized she was Louis' Gabe. "I'm just happy for you, don't worry about it. I can walk, it's not that far."

"Are you sure?" She nodded in compliance with his words. "Okay- just text me when you get home. You know, so I know you got home safe."

"Don't worry, I will. So long as you tell me how your first rehearsal goes."

"Trust me, you'll hear all about it!"

* * *

The walk home wasn't as long as Clem expected it to be, it was nice to get some fresh air for a bit. She didn't get as much alone time at home as she usually did since it took her longer to walk than it took Louis to drive. None the less, it was still a fairly enjoyable experience, she managed to remember to text the boy when she got home too.

Spending some time to pick up her bedroom, Clementine waited to receive a message back from her friend. It was evident that the seasons were beginning to change, the temperature increasingly dropped by the day, and the sun sunk earlier than it did when she first arrived. As the clock continued to tick, Clem still hadn't received a text from Louis.

Her patient waiting finally paid off when instead of a text, her phone began to ring. That was new, she'd always felt a bit awkward on the phone, but answered anyway.

"Hello?" No response from the other end, all she could hear was somewhat heavy breathing. "Louis, you there?"

"I don't wanna kiss Becca!"

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh some small life updates:  
> 1) Sorry if you notice any mistakes I'm grinding this out so you guys can have it before Sunday.  
> 2) I got a job so the next couple of updates might take a bit longer.  
> 3) This took a bit longer than usual because I usually write at night and I literally haven't been able to stay up past 11:30-  
> 4) I love you byeeee


	22. Plotting

** Clem's POV **

"I can't kiss Becca, Clem! I can't do it!" Louis bellowed out from the other line.

"Louis, calm down!" She already knew the boy was dramatic, but he was on the verge of a full-blown meltdown. "You're gonna make yourself have a panic attack. Just breathe, talk to me, I'm here."

"Okay, okay!" The other end of the line went silent. "Okay, so in the musical, my character is mute. Which doesn't make any sense because it's a musical, but that's irrelevant! It turns out Becca's character falls in love with mine and we have to kiss! But my first kiss can't be with Becca I would rather _actually_ go mute than kiss her!"

"Why don't you just do that stage kiss thing? Like, put your thumbs over her lips and kiss them instead," Clementine could feel the blood rushing to her head while she gave Louis advice about kissing a different girl. Leaning her thighs against the window sill, she stabilized her wobbling legs. 

"I don't know what to do Clem! This isn't how I imagined my first kiss going, I didn't save it for almost eighteen years just to give it away to Marlon's- whatever she is to Marlon!" It sounded like he was nearly on the brink of tears.

"I didn't realize how much it meant to you. W-what if you kissed someone else first?" The suggestion caught in her throat as she toyed with the hem of her shirt. Louis' silence was deafening. "Hey, it'll be okay. We'll figure something out."

"We?" His voice seemed a bit calmer at the piece of reassurance. 

"Y-yeah, us, we. I can't just leave you hanging, we're a team, remember?" She softly smiled to herself while listening to the boy's even breathing.

"You don't have to help me, it's going to happen either way," Louis' pessimistic tone was a crummy exchange for his usual perky voice.

"Don't be sad, you still got a great part. Even if you do have to kiss Becca, you can't let that spoil the whole experience," Clementine paused, allowing the boy some time to speak, nothing came from his end. "And like I said: there are plenty of ways you could avoid it."

"But we have to do it more than once, and there are a few showings," His sigh echoed through Clem's phone. "God, I bet she's sucked Marlon's dick." 

"Louis!" The girl slapped a hand over her mouth to prevent her laughter from spilling out.

"What, it's true!" The certainty in his voice made it even more difficult for her to hold back. 

"Ew, I don't want to think about that, and neither should you! Come on, let's think of some more ideas," As the sky began to darken, Clem moved from the window over to her bed. 

"Whatever we come up with won't save my first kiss," Louis huffed dramatically.

"Well yeah, not if you keep thinking about it like that. We can come up with a solution somehow, hold it off until opening night. Tell them it'll be more realistic if you do it then and there, you'll be buying us loads of time," The suggestion wasn't only for him, she'd certainly prefer not to see them kiss every day during rehearsal.

"You're right, I need to think about this. I'll tell you about my ideas tomorrow morning?" Hints of his natural disposition cracked through.

"Of course Lou, I'll see you then," A smile bloomed on her lips as she daydreamed about the boy elaborating on all of his crazy plans. 

"Goodnight Clemster, sweet dreams."

"Sleep well, Freckles," With that, the line went dead.

Clementine flopped back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling while her arms sprawled out across the twin-sized mattress. She did her best not to be a jealous person, but she was pulled deeper into Louis' clutches by the day. There was never a dull moment with him, they could be sitting in silence and her heart would still threaten to pound out of her chest. 

Unfortunately, she was turning into _that_ friend for him. The friend that he talked to about his girl troubles, not that he had any yet. But soon enough he would, he already had Becca. A grey cloud lined her thoughts when she considered she would probably never be the girl he talked to other girls about.

* * *

** Louis' POV **

"Vi, will you kiss me?" After ending the call with Clem, Louis concluded that he had virtually no idea what to do. 

"Shut the fuck up," Her voice came out completely flat, she was used to his stupid questions.

"Please, I _can't_ have my first kiss with Becca. And you're the only person I can kiss without it being weird, I mean it might be weird because you're like my sister. Okay, maybe we shouldn't kiss," He sighed as he sat down on the piano bench. A lot of time had passed since his first rehearsal, it'd gotten pretty late. But how could he possibly sleep with his racing thoughts?

"A: I never said I was going to kiss you, B: I have a girlfriend, C: I'm a lesbian, D: what the shit are you talking about?" Even from across the phone, Louis could still hear Violet's full-body eye roll. 

A storytime session ensued while he filled her in on what happened at their first script reading. "So you see, I have to kiss someone else or get out of that musical!"

The girl on the other end sighed deeply. "Why don't you just ask Clementine? You like her, she's too nice to say no. Why not?"

"I can't just kiss her because she won't say no! I respect women and their rights!" Louis sighed as he laid down on the bench.

"Okay social justice warrior. Then just kiss Becca, it's not like you're going to lose your virginity or get pregnant," A clicking sound signified Vi hung up on him, ending their discussion.

"Bruh, what the fuck," The boy rolled onto the ground and laid there until he crawled into bed, curling into the blankets all while letting sleep pull him under.

* * *

Clem hadn't even gotten situated in the passenger seat before Louis was talking off her ear.

"So last night after I got off the phone with you, I called Vi to see if _she'd_ kiss me. But she said no! Can you believe her?" Louis let his head drop onto the steering wheel with a crisp beep.

"No! How could she do that to you?" Sarcasm exuded from Clem's voice while she touched his shoulder in false sympathy. 

Sitting up straight in his seat, Louis let out a sigh before starting his car. "Good morning Clemmy."

"Good morning Lou, did you come up with any more ideas?" This time real sympathy shone through.

"Well, Violet did say something kinda funny," The boy chuckled nervously, already feeling his palms get a bit sweaty. He opted to focusing on the road. "She said that _we_ should kiss. But that's just obscene! Completely unheard of."

"O-oh! No, we couldn't do that- that would be... weird," Clementine reciprocated his nervous laughter.

"Y-yeah, super weird. Really weird," Louis gripped the wheel harder, his knuckles turning white. There was an awkward silence as he waited for a response, but Clem found whatever was out the window more interesting.

"So- was there any choreography you might need help with?" The girl turned back toward him, a faint dusting of red-coated her cheeks.

"I think I have to do a lift, which is probably right up your alley? There'll probably be some more though, we haven't learned any of the actual footwork yet," Louis let his eyes settle on the prettiest girl he'd ever seen for a split second, before turning back to the road.

"I'll do what I can, it's been a while. But you're right, I can help with lifts." Shrugging, Clem faced him. "Why are they making you do such advanced choreo? It's not like you're on Broadway, no offense."

"I don't fucking know? And none taken," Taking a turn into the school's parking lot Louis quickly found a space.

"Should I find a ride home today, or are you going to be free?" Her eyes turned in his direction, honey meeting chocolate.

"What am I? Your personal chauffeur?" His teasing tone struck something in her, perpetuating her eyes to glitter as another wave of blush graced her cheeks. "Kidding, but I do have to stay at school again. If that's okay?"

With a shake of her head, Clementine let out a bubbly giggle. "Of course it's okay, I'll figure something out."

Offering a shy smile, Louis gave himself a few more moments to look over the girl. Her skirt reached the center of her thigh, while the loose sweater she wore fit snugly tucked into the waistband. One hand found the strap of her backpack, while the other brushed a few escaped curls from her low ponytail with dainty elegance.

The world moved in slow-motion as she pushed open the door, carefully swinging her feet out. Landing with a faint tap, the hem of her skirt brushed up her thighs and fell back down. 

Sneaking a peek over her shoulder, Clem's voice finally broke him out of his trance. "Are you coming, or should I leave you here?"

Boy, was he stupid for bringing up Violet's suggestion. Louis could never kiss an angel.

* * *

**Clem's POV**

She couldn't get her past few interactions with Louis out of her head. Every other thought was either him having to kiss Becca, him kissing someone else, or the way he grudgingly proposed they kiss. To say the least, focusing in English was more difficult than usual. 

In an attempt to get her mind off of things, Clem focused on finding a ride home. She could just take the bus? That is, if she knew what bus to take.

Turning to her auburn-haired friend, she took her first swing at things. "Hey, Brody? Do you think you could drop me off at home later?"

"Sorry Clem, but I've got an appointment after school. I'm sure Vi will give you a ride though, she doesn't live too far from you," Brody quietly tapped the butt of her pen against her notepad.

"We could give you a ride?" The invitation came from Mariana. "We do need to discuss our project, and it's not like you live more than ten miles away."

"Are you sure? I can walk," Her proposal fell short when Mari sent her a dubious look.

"Don't worry, we don't have to be anywhere, so it's no biggie," Gabe leaned forward, bangs flopping in response. 

"Okay, if you're actually fine with it- I guess I can take you up on your offer," Clementine held eye contact with the boy while she spoke.

"Great, we can just walk together after fourth period?" It would be a change from her walks with Louis to his car, but maybe it was for the better. She couldn't just keep pining over someone who would never like her back, it wasn't like she received many mixed signals. Louis treated almost every girl the same, hugs, sweet compliments, and the list went on. That was just how he was with everyone. A little time away from the boy could do her some good.

"Yeah, that would be... cool," Clem shot the boy a thumbs up before turning back to her work.

Once class ended, Brody and Clementine took their daily route. When the curly-haired girl lingered behind more than usual, Brody slowed down to match her pace.

"What's going on with you? You've been acting funky all day," The girl swung her lunch bag as she spoke, offering Clem a reassuring glance. "Not to be nosey, but if you're struggling in any classes I can help you."

"It's not that, but thank you for the offer," With a sigh, Clementine's feet felt like they were filled with lead. "I just- I like Louis."

"Well yeah, obviously," After earning a glare from Clem, the auburn-haired girl granted a shy smile. "Sorry, I've just seen the way you guys are together, you seem happy when you're together. Anyways- what's wrong about liking Louis? He's a good guy."

"He's going to kiss Becca in the musical, but he doesn't want his first kiss to be with her. So, last night he called Violet after talking to me, she said he should just ask me to kiss him," The brunette's eyes focused on the ground rather than on her friend.

Brody gave her shoulder a light shove, face equipped with a smile. "Well, isn't that good?"

"Not really, on the way to school he told me it was 'obscene' and 'completely unheard of'. So, I don't think he wants to," Clementine stopped dragging her feet and decided on walking like a normal person.

"I'm sorry babe," The girl rubbed her chin in thought. "It really does seem like he has feelings for you though. I mean, you two spend quite a bit of time together."

"I don't know, he kinda treats all of us the same," Nervously swinging her arms, Clem spared Brody a glance. "You know, with all the affection."

Her friend let out a small laugh. "Listen Clem, I've known Louis far longer. So, trust me when I say he's loved on you more in the past month than he has me in the past five-years."

The girls made it up to the cafeteria doors before Clementine came to a complete halt. "Seriously?"

Brody tugged the girl's hand through the entrance. "Yes, seriously. Now come on, lunch doesn't last forever."

"I don't understand why, lunch is arguably the best meal of the day," Her words came out as the rest of her friends came into sight. There was a free seat between Minnie and Aasim, then another between Louis and Mitch. Brody jogged ahead of Clementine, claiming the seat next to Minerva and shooting a smirk in the former's direction. Clem shook her head gently at her friend before taking the remaining seat.

"Howdy Clemster, nice of you to finally join us," Louis nudged the girl's arm then took a bite of the stew Omar brought him.

"Of course, I would never miss out on the daily gossip of the watering hole," A light tingling sensation crept upon her cheeks as Louis held his spoon out to her. She accepted the spoon and took a scoop from the container, carefully blowing away the heat. Omar and Louis eyed her intensely while she let the contents of the spoon slip into her mouth, the stew did not disappoint. "It's really good Omar, my compliments to the chef."

The curly-haired boy sighed in relief and went back to eating his sandwich. "Finally a critique I can trust."

"What are you saying? I only speak the God's honest," Louis placed a hand over his heart while Omar raised an eyebrow. "In other words, did you find a ride home?"

"Yeah, my friend Mari offered. We need to work on this history project soon, it'll be good to get a head start on it," Clementine batted a hand at the air and sent him a small smile.

He smiled back, unfortunately, it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Good, I'm sorry I can't drive you. At least we've still got our mornings together."

"Don't be sorry! I'm happy for you," It was her turn to nudge him in an attempt to make him happier. 

Her attempt didn't work as well as she wanted it to, but the size of his grin increased ever-so-slightly. "Thanks Clemster, you're the best."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you don't need to tell me twice," Their conversation was cut a bit short when Clem felt a small tug at her arm. Sophie and Violet stood behind her, bags packed and ready to go. "I guess that's my cue, I'll see you later."

The brunette followed their lead and packed her bag, leaving the rest of the group to enjoy the remaining minutes of lunch.

"So, are you gonna do it?" Violet shot Clem a questioning glance as they walked down a corridor, taking the long route.

"Do what?" The blonde was always poking fun at her for one reason or another.

"Kiss Louis?" Clementine nearly choked on air at Vi's question.

"I can't just take his first kiss, and it's not fully up to me you know?" The girls quickened their pace as the warning bell rang through the halls.

Sophie finally found her voice. "Who else is gonna do it, besides Becca I mean?"

"Listen, guys, that's not usually how this kind of stuff works? Unless you Ericson's folk schedule kisses? Besides, I don't want to pressure Louis into anything, and I'm sure he feels the same," Clem's voice faltered as she entered the classroom, making a beeline for her desk.

Violet sighed as she slumped in her seat. "Yeah, I guess you do have a point there. But you should still do it."

"Agreed, strongly," The redhead nodded along.

"I think we should end this conversation before someone gets their feelings hurt, maybe it'll be me, maybe it'll be one you. Either way, we're not about to find out because it's _over_ ," She was already at work on unpacking her bag, it was easier to ignore the glances Violet and Sophie shot at each other that way.

The kiss was already plaguing her every thought, and having more people ask her about it just made it more difficult to focus on her classwork. Sure, she was upset that Louis had to kiss another girl, but he was even more torn up about it. Not to mention she felt like she was being guilt-tripped into taking the boy's first kiss. All of the pressure made her head spin and her stomach turn. In the end, she was just tired and couldn't wait until she got home.

* * *

Once the school day finally came to close, Clementine did her best to match Gabe's pace while he packed his bag. As she finished zipping her bag, she drearily turned to the dread head. 

"Hey," Clem gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder, prompting Louis to glance up. "Everything is going to be okay Lou. Text me when you get home, we can try to come up with some more ideas. Alright?"

The boy placed his hand on top of hers with a meek smile. "Alright."

* * *

Louis' POV

He watched Clementine walk out of the room with Gabe by her side. It wasn't that he was envious of the boy, no never. But that was before he saw Gabe's hand reach up, placing itself just above the small of Clem's back to guide her. The boy could feel his chest tighten as he stood, his body protectively going into auto-pilot.

All of his stress was unnecessary when Clementine smoothly shifted away from his touch, seemingly doing her best to ease the tension. When the pair exited the room, Louis realized the position he was in. Backpack slung across his chair while his shoulders remained tense, matching up with the balls his fists made. The boy slowly shook out his hands. He had no right to be overprotective or jealous, they weren't dating. Hell, she didn't even know he likes her.

Louis anxiously scanned his surroundings before hoisting his bag over his shoulder and walking in the direction of the auditorium. After reading over his parts in the script ten-too-many times, he finally noted that he had to kiss Becca on numerous occasions throughout the musical. Not to mention they had to perform six times. So all he could do was sit back and hope that the director would allow him to hold off the kiss until opening night, like Clem had suggested. At least then he'd have more time to come up with some sort of solution. 

Shoving open the auditorium doors, Louis set path towards backstage. He was one of the first to arrive in the reading room, allowing himself time to watch the rest of the cast slowly trickle in. Minnie came in shortly after him, the girl sent Louis a wave before approaching him. 

"Hey Lou, doing better than yesterday?" She rested a hand on his shoulder, the same way Clem did before she left.

"Yeah, I guess I am. I'll be okay either way, it's _just_ a kiss," He was sure to put extra emphasis on his words to sound more convincing.

Minerva tilted her head at the boy. "I know how much it means to you. We've always made fun of you about it but that was just because we never realized how serious you were. What I'm trying to say is- I'm sorry."

"Daddy, chill," Louis put up his hand to silence her but just received a dubious look. "Sorry. But like I said: it's fine, I'll be fine."

She stared at him for a moment longer, seemingly trying to read his thoughts. "Okay, whatever you say. But just don't let Becca hear you talk about it, she likes making people scared, she can smell fear."

"Why do we hate her?" It was a good question, the girl was a little clingy but she wasn't awful.

"Well for starters, she's a completely different person around certain people," Minnie lowered her voice to a whisper. "Do you know how many times she's been a full-blown psycho to Violet then turned around and kissed someone else's ass? I'm the first person to admit that Vi can be difficult sometimes, but some of the things she told me- unbelievable."

"Oh, that's... nice," Louis briefly glared at his friend.

"Sorry, that probably doesn't help. But hey look on the bright side!" Minerva plastered a fake grin on her face. He could see the gears turning in her mind while she tried to think of something good about the scenario. "Um, Brody and I were talking about having a little get together again. Since it's starting to get colder we were thinking of going one last summer swim and hanging out at one of our places after? You know, since we won't get to for like another year."

"Yeah, alright sounds like fun. When were you guys thinking?" Another distraction would be spectacular.

The girl twiddled with her thumbs. "This weekend... Friday or Saturday?"

"We have rehearsal this weekend Minnie," That wasn't exactly a 'bright side'.

"I already thought about that, we can do it after. Rehearsal only lasts until like four or five, we can work around it," Her grin widened in an attempt to convince him.

"Well... you don't have to ask me twice!" Reciprocating her smile, Louis slapped Minnie's shoulder with the back of his hand. 

"Butter me blue and call me Sandra, we're throwin' a party!" The girl's shouted as loud as she could while her voice remained low.

* * *

Louis bounced onto his bed, lying flat on his stomach while he swung his feet in the air. As promised, he called Clem the minute he got home. 

"And then she said 'butter me blue and call me Sandra'," The pair burst into laughter at his statement. "Anyways, can you come?"

Clementine politely let him finish the whole story, she was good at that. "I'm supposed to work on my project with Mariana this weekend, but I'm sure I can make it."

"She can come too!" He did all he could to ensure her presence. 

"I'll ask her, but what about Gabe?" Her question caught him slightly off guard.

"Oh, uh right. He can come too if he wants I mean," Louis stopped kicking his legs and began to play with the blanket.

"I just- I don't want to leave him out? Mari is his sister," Of course, she always had to be nice.

"Yeah, for sure Clemster," The boy rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. What if she liked Gabe? They walked to class together every day, he sat at their table in calculus, she was friends with his sister. Everything added up to be the perfect solution, Louis felt his stomach drop to his spine.

After a short pause, Clementine broke the silence. "How was rehearsal? You told me about the party but that's not what you called for."

He just called to hear her voice, however, she didn't need to know that. "It was alright, I'm still recovering from yesterday. But there wasn't as much of a shock factor today."

Louis felt a familiar warmth coat his cheeks as Clementine's laugh filled his ears. Each word engraved itself into his brain, all while he analyzed her unique dialect. He closed his eyes and did nothing but listen, both to her beautiful voice, and the beat of his own heart. She left him speechless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I probably wouldn't post this week, but I ended up getting like 1/3 of the chapter done before I started working. As for next week: we'll just keep rolling with it. To be perfectly honest, we don't have a schedule anymore, I'm just trying to post once a week-  
> Sorry if this chapter is a little wacky, I wasn't feeling very inspired. I mean I guess some of the weird phrases make it more realistic?   
> I love you guys !!! Thank you for reading <3


	23. Chicken

** Clem's POV **

The rest of the week slowly ticked by, Mariana and Gabe continued to give her rides home in Louis' absence. By the time the weekend rolled around, the girls were ready to start their project. Aside from the fact that Mari couldn't stop panicking about going to a senior party, everything was going well. Clementine laid on her friend's bed while Mari flashed different articles of clothing.

"Should I wear a skirt or pants? Shorts maybe, or a dress?" The girl held up a light blue dress in one hand and a pair of baggy black jeans in the other.

"Just wear what you normally would but dress it up a little bit. Oh, and don't forget to wear a bathing suit, we're going to the lake. I'm not sure if Louis has a pool or not, but we'll see what happens there?" They'd decided on going to the boy's house for their after-party when he revealed his dad was going out of town on business and his mom was going out with some friends. 

Mari's arms fell to her sides. "You're right, I just need to be confident. Maybe not even confident, just normal."

"Don't worry, they're all super nice. Well, maybe some aren't as welcoming as others. But look at me! I just moved here and they accepted me with open arms," Clementine reassured her friend. 

Mariana clicked her tongue. "You're right, you're right. So, pants it is then."

"I'd say so, should keep you warm if we end up outside tonight," Clem had no idea what plans her other friends had in the works.

"So, Louis?" Mari shot a suggestive smirk in her direction.

"We're just friends, he's probably one of my closest friends here. And it's going to stay that way until further notice!" The girl's remark was stern, but her friend's face remained plastered with a grin.

"Young love, so sweet!" Clutching a pair of pants to her chest, Mariana spun in a circle around the room before landing next to Clementine on her bed.

"Okay you hopeless romantic, let's keep getting ready," Pushing herself up, Clem made her way towards Mari's mirror to look over herself once more.

"You know, you say all these things like, 'don't worry' and 'we're just friends' but then you act like the complete opposite," The girl tugged on her outfit as she spoke.

"I'm gonna act like you didn't say that and get in my car," Clem threw a thumb over her shoulder with a nod before turning away from her friend.

"Aw, Clem, you know I was only kidding. So hold your horses!" Mari shot a joking glare at her before she turned to her mirror and finished getting ready. "So how do these things usually go?"

"Well, for the most part, Minnie and Violet hang all over each other. Ruby wanders around but ultimately ends up with Aasim for the majority of the time, Sophie gets pretty tipsy, Mitch drinks a little then just sits there. Louis is a lightweight but he probably won't drink tonight, Brody gets a little buzzed, and Omar- he's a mystery man."

"Not exactly what I meant, but that's better than what I asked for," A soft smile graced her friends lips. "What about you, what do you do?"

"I guess you could say I'm the voice of reason?" She was usually one of the only sober members of the group. Clem sifted around the room to collect her belongings before they left. "Hey, have you seen my shoes?"

Mariana hummed in thought. "Did you leave them by the front door?"

"Right, right I'll be back in a few!" She slipped into the hallway, following the trail towards the front door. Her sandals came into view as she rounded the corner. Slipping the straps between her fingers, Clementine turned back in the direction of Mari's room.

About halfway through her journey, she was cut off by a familiar face. "Hey Clementine, I just wanted to say a quick thanks for the invite. I won't get too sappy, but it seems to mean a lot to Mari."

"Of course, she's been a great friend. And she's already hit it off with Brody," She allowed a soft smile to fall on her lips. "I guess I should thank you for the rides home, I can give you some gas money if you'd like?"

"No, that's okay. It's no trouble, I mean you're pretty alright company," The beanie-wearing boy shrugged before sauntering back into his room, sporting a faint smirk.

* * *

** Louis' POV **

The first day of mapping out all of their choreography was laboring, to say the least. There were several instances that he had to repeat the choreography until the director was happy with the fluidity. Not to mention all of the extra dancing piled on top of their basic staging.

By the time rehearsal ended, Louis was ready to jump into bed and fall fast asleep. Unfortunately, he'd already invited an entire group of people over who were more likely to get drunk than breath. On the bright side: he was going to get to spend some time with Clementine. He hadn't seen a lot of her, with all of his rehearsal. Every moment he shared with her was fleeting. It would probably stay that way for a while too. 

"Hiii Louis!" Becca slunk down the hallway towards him, her dark hair bounced off her shoulders as she walked. "Do you wanna practice our choreography soon? I could come over after rehearsal tomorrow?"

The boy found himself shuffling around her and towards the exit. "Maybe, we'll see if we're up to it."

As fast as he was, there was no escaping a conversation with her. "So, I heard you want to hold off our kiss? Why is that?"

Becca's hands found their way to his biceps while her bottom lip jutted out in a pout. He desperately searched for an excuse to leave. "I just want to wait, that's all."

Still, the girl wouldn't let up. "We should try it out a little bit, you know, so the audience will be able to see our chemistry better."

Louis gently tugged her wrists off of his arms as he continued to walk backward. "What about Marlon?"

" _What about Marlon_? It's not like we're dating, besides, this is just make-believe! No harm done," She slowly followed in his footsteps.

"Listen, uh, I've gotta go! See you tomorrow!" Louis pushed himself through the door before Becca could get another word in. All he was focused on now was getting home, then to the lake before it got too late. The boy made haste when he got home and changed as fast as he could.

Even with the ever-decreasing temperature, the past week had been fairly warm. He could only hope that the water wouldn't be too bone-chillingly cold. The last time he went to the watering hole was with Clementine on one of the hottest days of summer, maybe she heated things up a little bit more. 

The boy openly grinned in the safety of his car as he reminisced on his lake day with Clem. Come to think of it, that was the first time he started to get to know her. Although it was just an hour of floating and splashing around, he got to see her comfortable side. 

His mind replayed the memory until he arrived at the lake, where he witnessed his friends already making themselves comfortable. Clementine stood by the snack table with an unfamiliar girl attached at her hip.

Louis couldn't help but let the joy flooding through his veins take over. "Hey, Clemster!"

Her wet curly hair whipped as she turned towards him. "Hello, Freckles. Nice of you to finally join us."

Seeing her always made his heart do a full 360, maybe it was the way her waist swooped so perfectly into her hips. Or maybe it was the way her honey eyes glittered every time she laughed, or _maybe_ it was the way she acted when she thought nobody was watching her. Whatever it was, she never failed to paralyze him.

"Chicken!" Minnie's shout echoed from the water as she hoisted Violet onto her shoulders. 

Before he could react, Clementine was being pulled away from him by Sophie. "Come on Clem, be my partner?"

The brunette stiffened before turning to the girl he hadn't been introduced to yet. "Will you be okay up here Mari?"

"Of course, I'll just talk to Brody," Mariana batted a hand at her, Louis instantaneously remembered that he invited her too. 

The redhead let out a celebratory squeal before sprinting into the water with Clem in tow. Left alone with Mari, he turned to the girl in an attempt to make conversation. She was already staring at him with a knowing look.

"What?" Suddenly he was feeling _very_ nervous.

"Oh nothing," A smug grin played at Mariana's lips as she spoke. "I guess you could say I'm just observing."

"O-observing what? What do you know? I don't know you," He invited Clementine's friend, not a Russian spy.

She slowly nodded before turning in Brody's direction. "Funny, friendly, and a little lost. Duly noted."

His confusion mingled with his exhaustion as he took a seat on the snack bench. Louis watched his various friends as they fell into scattered conversations around the lot. After a few minutes of loneliness passed, Louis was greeted by Mitch. His friend stared into the watery distance at his girlfriend and Clementine.

"You really like Soph huh, like a lot. Maybe you even love her?" It took every ounce of his willpower to hold back a laugh. Antagonizing Mitch was risky, so he was sure to tread lightly, a skill he'd acquired over the years.

"Dude, shut the fuck up," The boy jokingly punched Louis' arm. In his opinion, it was a little too hard to be friendly, but that was an itch he ignored.

Softly rubbing his arm, the dread head let out a nervous laugh. "I was joking, but now I'm intrigued."

"I'm not talking about girls with you Louis," The brunette ran his fingers through his shaggy hair with a sigh. 

"Why not? Can't we just respect women together? What's wrong with two kind young men _respecting_ our fellow beings?" Louis bore his eyes into his friends.

"Louis, sometimes I can't tell if you're joking or not," Mitch directed the freckled boys chin towards the water. "But I'd respect the hell out of that."

Ahead of him, Clem sat on top of Sophie's shoulders, the brunettes legs weaved tightly around Sophie's form while they pushed against Violet and Minnie. In the blink of an eye, Clem's hands slipped away from Vi's and to her armpits where she began to tickle her opponent. The blonde quickly doubled over, immediately sending the short-haired girls plummeting into the water. 

Louis could feel his heart swoop in his chest as he swooned over the curly-haired girl. Her triumphant smile beamed as she dismounted Sophie's shoulders. The winning duo danced in a small circle around each other.

Mitch slowly stood up before shooting Louis an anxious glance. "Don't say anything- just don't do it."

"Aw Mitch, you big softie! Don't hide from me!" His teasing did nothing but provoke the boy, Mitch glared at him before walking away. Unfortunately, Louis wouldn't let him odd that easily and tagged along.

* * *

** Clem's POV **

After her 'chicken' fiasco, Clementine found her way to the shore. Gabe immediately filled Sophie's presence and began to congratulate her.

"Great job out there, good technique," The boy's praise was a bit of a stretch, but she accepted it none the less. 

"Thanks, keep it in mind if you ever get into a fight. It'll probably throw them off for a few seconds," She offered him a polite smile while wandering to the bench they filled with their various snacks.

Gabe scooped some salsa onto a chip before popping it into his mouth. "How did you come up with that?"

"Little brother, I adore the crap out of him but sometimes I like to rough him up," Clementine softened at the thought of AJ, making a mental note to spend time with him the next day.

"I didn't know you had a brother. You've never talked about him before," He continued scanning the table for different snacks. To be perfectly honest, it baffled her how much he ate. Mariana did mention one of his pastime activities that could've contributed to that. 

With a shrug of her shoulders, she carried on. "I guess it's not much of a casual discussion topic. He's a smart kid, but he blames everything on me. I swear sometimes he tells my dad I did some stupid shit only a six-year-old would do."

A deep chuckle bubbled from her friend. "I know how that is, Mari does the same thing."

"You two argue a lot, so I wouldn't doubt it," The girl opened a can of soda as she spoke. He was a nice guy, with a good heart. But she had a hard time holding a comfortable, light conversation with him. 

"Oh that's just our good ol' sibling rivalry," Gabe smiled in Mariana's direction before redirecting his attention to Clementine.

"Trust me, AJ and I have had our moments. All siblings do," When Clem lifted her eyes to take in the rest of her surroundings, Louis was approaching the table.

"Wrap it up Sweetpea, we're heading to my house," The dread head contributed a tired smile to their conversation as he began to roll up a bag of chips. 

She followed his lead and started to collect wrappers left on the table. "Are you sure? You seem kinda tired, I'm sure everyone would understand if you just wanted to relax."

"Yeah, I'm all good! Might as well enjoy it while it lasts eh?" Louis tucked the snacks he collected into a few bags before turning on his heel in the direction of his car.

Gabe shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, she almost forgot he was there. "You two are pretty close huh?" 

She had to admit, Louis was probably her closest friend at the moment. Even if Clementine wasn't a big fan of people knowing too much about her, she was almost certain Louis would keep everything they discussed in private confidential.

"Yeah, it's easy to be friends with him. Louis is nice to everyone," Clementine found her eyes wandering to his car where he was throwing Violet a loving smile, to which she reciprocated with a glare. "He always makes sure everyone feels included and happy."

With a nod, Gabe sauntered in the direction of his car. It took a second for her to realize she was alone in the lot and promptly trekked to Lee's car. He planned on having a movie night with AJ and offered for her to take his car for the night. She was probably doing him a favor in the long run, since he wouldn't have to drive her to every next location. She was going to have to get her own car soon. 

The roads to Louis' house were fairly familiar, even if she'd only been there once. Seeing the house, or mansion, in better lighting came as a small shock. It was much bigger than she remembered it being, granted that Louis never gave her a tour, and it was almost pitch black when she brought him home. 

Clem scanned the various cars in the driveway in search of Mariana and Gabe. She quickly spotted the pair, with the girl bounding toward Brody and Ruby. Omar led Gabe into Louis' mansion. Overall, she was content at seeing how well her newest friends were settling with her other friends, she set off to follow the group into Louis' house.

When the girl walked inside she was hit with another wave of shock, if the outside was gorgeous, then the inside was absolutely stunning. With more time to explore, Clementine already had an idea of how she was going to spend part of her evening. Taking the first steps of her journey, Clem wandered down a short hallway, the only decoration being a large family portrait. 

Louis was younger in the image, but only by a few years. His vibrant smile was replaced by a straight line, both of his parents sported the same look. They almost looked sad, Clementine felt like her eyes were glued to the portrait before a gentle weight landed on her shoulder. A glance in the hands direction clarified Louis was by her side.

"You never gave me a house tour," Clementine directed her gaze back to the photo. "Your parents seem... serious?"

"Oh no, my dad is. My mom- not so much," A small smile touched the boy's lips. "So, you ready for that tour now?"

"Oh Lou, I was born ready," With a smirk, Clementine let the dread head lead her back down the hall into the foyer where they began their journey. 

Compared to her house, Louis' held a completely different energy. Despite being lived in for much longer than hers was, everything almost felt new. The walls held extravagant, and probably expensive, paintings instead of family photos. After the stoic family photo, she couldn't find one image of the freckled boy. An out of place sensation washed over her again as she examined Louis. Her mind traveled to the first time she was in his house, nothing had changed.

His infectious smile didn't seem as genuine within the house's walls. Although he towered over her, the high ceilings diminished his height. The boy put on a good show, theatrically sweeping down the halls and through rooms. At the top of a familiar stairwell revealed a set of doors, including his room.

"As you can see, we've been here before so I guess we'll conclude our tour here," Louis stopped uncomfortably in the center of the intersection.

"Why don't you give me a room tour? Last time I was here I just put you to sleep then left," Clem gravitated towards his door.

"I played the piano for you! But I'll warn you now, there's not much to see," The boy walked to her side before pushing open the door, revealing his pristine white room. Hues from the setting sun enveloped the room, leaving all of its belongings coated in a warm shade of orange. "Oh! Come meet Geoff!"

Following the boy in his hot pursuit across the room, Clementine crouched next to him while they examined a healthy turtle swimming across its tank. Louis' smile finally twinkled in his eyes.

"Isn't he awesome? He just swims around and eats stuff, I love him," He paused before leaning closer to the tank. "I've had him since like third grade. Then the funniest thing happened, I met this guy in fourth grade and he had the same name! Of course, we instantly became friends. I guess we just kinda drifted over the years, maybe I should check on him sometime."

"I'm sure he thinks about you and Geoff too," Throwing a smile in his direction, the girl elbowed his arm when she spotted a key feature of his room. "You didn't tell me you had a balcony!"

"Oh yeah, wanna check it out?" After fixing his posture he offered her his hand.

She slipped her hand into his. "Hells yeah!"

The pair clamored outside, greeted by the refreshing air offered from the incoming night. Louis ignored the chairs and walked to the edge, placing his legs between the bars.

"Come, sit Clemsterine," He patted the place next to him.

"Clemsterine?" The girl squeezed next to him. "That's a new one."

"I just came up with it," The freckled boy beamed at her. "Like Listerine, because you're a breath of fresh air!"

Clementine burst into laughter, heavily leaning on him for support. "And you're ridiculous!"

* * *

** Louis' POV **

The girl's weight pushed against his side, her body's warmth contrasted against the cool breeze followed by the setting sun. He caught a glimpse of the way Clementine's honey skin glowed with the sky's colorful tones before she rested her head on his shoulder. It was a simple gesture, but it made his heart pound inside his chest. Soon enough Louis found himself leaning against the girl as well, allowing his cheek to fall on top of her head.

"Why is your house so..." Clem struggled to find the right words.

"Empty, soulless, dead?" There were plenty of other words he could've used but those were just a few that drifted through his mind often.

"I was going to say something like bland, but I guess those work too?" He could feel her smile against his shoulder.

"My dad likes everything to look pristine, we have maids come in daily even if it's usually just my mom and I," Louis held back a sigh so he wouldn't blow a gust of hot air onto her head. "He's never home, and when he is, he spends most of his time in his office."

Clementine must have picked up on his change of tone. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up anything that might make you upset."

"No worries, it feels kinda nice to get it off my chest," The boy let out a breathy chuckle.

"Well, if you want to keep talking then go ahead. I'm listening," She shuffled a bit to get comfortable but remained planted securely next to him.

"Sometimes I feel kinda trapped here, this place doesn't really feel like home. The only time I'm happy here is when I'm spending time with my mom. Other than that, it's cold and bare," His exhaustion began to hint in his voice.

"Well, if he stays in his office, how would he find out if you painted your room and decorated?" The sherbert sky slowly faded away, indigo began to take its place.

Her head bobbed as he shrugged his shoulders. "I've never really thought about it. I don't like being here very much."

"I'm sorry," Clementine's words were followed by the quiet chirping of crickets in the distance. 

Louis lifted his head off of hers to get a better look at the girl. Seemingly unsure about the loss of contact, she followed his lead. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him through her long eyelashes.

He felt his tongue begin to tie but did his best to push his words out. "T-Thank you, for listening, not a lot of people feel like it. They just think I'm happy-go-lucky-Louis with a rich daddy. B-But you care, or at least I think you do."

The girl placed her hand on his arm. "Of course I care Lou, I'm here for you. Just like you are for me."

With a sudden surge of confidence, Louis tucked his arm around Clem's waist. Her eyes slowly flickered between his eyes and his lips as she leaned closer to him. Despite the cold air around them, the space between the pair was filled with warmth. Clementine placed her hand behind Louis' back to stabilize herself before gently tilting her head.

Their shoulders had just made contact when the glass door behind them slid open. Both of them pulled their faces back, while Louis' hand continued to rest on Clem's waist.

"Ugh, there you guys are. We've been looking everywhere for you, we want to play truth or dare," Violet stopped in her tracks as she took in their proximity. "Oh... sorry."

Clementine plastered a nervous smile on her face before standing up and brushing herself off. "No worries! I should go check on Mariana anyways."

"Yeah, you do that," Vi tipped her solo cup in Clem's direction with a smirk and a wink, they must've busted out the liquor while he was giving the tour. Once the brunette was out of earshot Violet raised her eyebrows expectantly. 

"What now?" Louis ran his fingers through his dreads before resting his head on the bar in front of him.

"So we don't have to worry about the kiss dilemma anymore?" The girl's smirk transformed into a grin while she nodded her head. His expression must've given her a different idea and a frown fell upon her lips. "But- I thought?"

"I- I think maybe we were going to? I don't know, maybe she was going to do something else?" He flopped onto the deck, resting his arm over his eyes.

"There there, everything will be okay," A gentle patting on his shoulder prompted him to redirect his gaze. "But can we play truth or dare for now? I wanna see how fast Aasim can eat a can of baked beans."

* * *

** Clem's POV **

After her encounter with Louis, Clementine locked herself in one of the several bathrooms to calm down. Everyone expected her to kiss him, and she didn't realize how much she wanted to until she was given the opportunity. But she was thankful that Violet interrupted at the same time, Louis wanted his first time to be special. 

The girl stared into the mirror. At the sight of her disheveled appearance, she ran her hands over her face with a sigh while sliding onto the floor. Even if the rest of the group might've been waiting on her, Clem decided to continue her minute alone. It wasn't that she was having a bad time, everything was just so overwhelming. 

When she first arrived it was so easy, but now she was building relationships with everyone. Clementine used the counter to lift herself up, sparing a final glance into the mirror as she prepared to face the group once again. 

By the time she found her way back, everyone was circled around the center of the living room. Violet cuddled onto Minnie's lap in the corner of the couch, while Sophie was intently braiding Brody's hair. Mariana was seemingly getting along with a buzzed Ruby, just as Clem expected Aasim was by the redhead's side. On the other side of the circle, Louis watched as Gabe, Mitch, and Omar passed around a blunt.

Starting the game off on a safe note, Clem took a seat next to Brody on the floor. "Hey babe, where have you been?"

"Oh you know, I got a little turned around. But not to worry, I made it out alive!" Not exactly a lie, she did get lost in Louis' castle of a home.

"Let's get started!" Sophie released Brody's auburn hair as she alerted the group.

"Oh! Can I go first?" Violet sat up straight in Minerva's lap. When no one objected, she settled on her target. "Aasim, truth, or dare?"

"Um, dare I guess?" The boy shifted uncomfortably next to Ruby.

"You see, I was hoping you would say that!" Vi beamed before biting her bottom lip in an attempt to conceal her excitement. "I dare you to eat a can of baked beans as fast as possible!"

Aasim wasn't willing to let Violet show him up, so he quickly downed the entire can. A few more light truths were passed around the group, overall the mood remained humorous. 

When it came to be Gabe's turn, he quickly turned to face Clementine. "So, Clem, truth or dare?"

"Truth," She wasn't feeling up to one of Gabe's dares tonight, especially with his current 'state of mind'.

The boy let out a puff of smoke before he asked his question. "Anyone here you're crushing on?"

She was expecting that kind of question to come up at some point, Clem side-eyed Brody before answering. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Louis sputtered to life from across the circle. "W-Who? I mean... who?"

"Nuh-uh-uh, that wasn't part of the question," The tingling of blush on her cheeks was becoming harder to ignore. 

"Okay Clem, now it's your turn!" Sophie tapped the brunette's side with her toe."

"Alright... how about Aasim?" Clementine pointedly shot her gaze towards the boy. "Truth or dare?"

"I'm still recovering from those beans, so I guess I'll go with truth?" He winced as he gave his answer.

She hummed while tapping her chin to drag out the suspense. "If you had to date one person in this room who would it be?"

Aasim visibly clenched his jaw as he glared at the girl. "I-I guess I'd have to go with Ruby."

Violet smirked in satisfaction. "We love to hear it!"

Ruby carefully placed her hand on Aasim's arm while he avoided her eyes. "That's real sweet of you hun."

A rush of various questions were asked since everybody was feeling too tired for any dares. It was all fun and games until Vi was given the power to choose her next victim. Aasim appeared to be sinking into his chair.

Her green eyes scanned the group intently before landing on Louis. "Truth or dare Lou?"

The boy daringly slouched forward, challenging his friend. "Dare."

Defiance sparked in the blonde's smile. "I dare you to kiss Clementine."

His eyebrows furrowed in response to the dare. She knew he didn't like her, but was it just a joke to them? Her self-deprecating thoughts raced in the back of her mind while she watched the boy shake his head.

"I'm not doing that," His statement was concise as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. 

"You chicken!" Violet shouted at the boy over her shoulder.

"Well, that's one way to end a game," Mitch crawled across the floor before sitting next to Sophie on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you so much for waiting patiently on this chapter. I've been busy with work and I was having a little uninspired slump! I love reading all your kind comments and they keep me going! I appreciate you all so so soooo much!!! <3  
> Also, I forgot to thank you guys for 1,000 views!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH, it means the world to me!!!


	24. Life Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not a chapter update sorry :(((

Hello, my dearest readers!  
I'm so sorry I haven't updated this fic for so long, I've been super busy with school and haven't had much time. Don't you worry though, I'm not discontinuing it, this fic will be finished. I even plan on writing a sequel once I'm done, which will be way way wayyy in the future of course.   
As of right now, I'm just trying to keep my grades up. I've had a lot of difficult classes this year but I'm hoping things will start to slow down soon!  
Thank you for sticking around, as I've mentioned so many times before, I genuinely appreciate all the love and support! Tell me how you're doing in the comments, life is hard. I hope you're all staying healthy, mentally and physically.  
With love,  
-honeydew <3

**Author's Note:**

> Follow my playlist for this story on Spotify!  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4zcmcQEo8Qk8F86UBeEjs0?si=ZADvSVnYT8qU4lZthMPg0A


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